This was my inaugural lecture on 9th March 2009. It was a selective look at some of the biomedical research done at UCL (and occasionally elsewhere by people who became important at UCL) since 1894 up until 2009. It includesthe discovery of adrenaline by Oliver and Schafer; the impact of the valveamplifier invented by Ambrose Fleming; studies of the cell membrane byDavson and Danielli in the chemistry department; the discovery of the squidgiant axon by J Z Young, and a longer discussion of his role at UCL and thedevelopment of neuroscience here; the later work of Burnstock in particularand also Moncada on inter- and intra- cell communication; and also raises alist of numerous other people, places and work that were not included.