John Allen Clements (March 16, 1923 – September 3, 2024) was an American physician and physiologist known for his role in the discovery of pulmonary surfactant, a crucial factor in the development of life-saving treatments for neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.
In 1957, while working at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), he made his seminal discovery of pulmonary surfactant, a lipid-protein mixture that reduces surface tension in the lungs and prevents the collapse of alveoli during exhalation.
[3] Clements's research demonstrated that the absence or deficiency of surfactant was a major cause of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants.
His findings spurred the development of synthetic surfactants, which are now routinely used in neonatal intensive care units worldwide to treat preterm infants.
[4] Clements continued to contribute to pulmonary biology and neonatal care throughout his career at UCSF, mentoring young scientists and furthering research into adult lung diseases.