NEWS OF THE W EEK
ELIAS ZERHOUNI STEPS DOWN GOVERNMENT: NIH director will
leave the agency by Oct. 31
NEWSCOM
A
Zerhouni
FTER SIX-AND-A-HALF YEARS at the helm of the U.S.’s premier biomedical research agency, Elias A. Zerhouni will step down as director of NIH by the end of October. “I feel very privileged to have led this agency,” said Zerhouni last week in a teleconference announcing his departure. He noted that his decision to leave is a natural evolution and his time served is consistent with that of previous directors. He said he has no immediate plans except to write and travel. Zerhouni, 57, has led the agency through several challenging transitions including a flattening of its budget and a change in the way science is done. To help with these transitions, he established the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, which is a trans-agency initiative to tackle complex biomedical problems. Zerhouni also put in place new programs targeting innovative research and young investigators (see page 28).
ERNEST ELIEL DIES AT 86 OBITUARY: Organic chemist made
CHEMICAL HERITAGE FOUN DATIO N COL LECT IO NS
Eliel (center) performs an experiment in a pharmaceutical laboratory in Havana, 1945.
fundamental contributions to sterochemistry
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RNEST ELIEL, 86, a central figure in the field of
stereochemisty, the 1996 Priestley Medalist, and a former ACS president, died on Sept. 18 after a long illness. Eliel was born on Dec. 28, 1921, in Cologne, Germany. His fascination with chemistry began at age 11 with the gift of a chemistry set from his parents. By 15, Eliel had decided to make chemistry his life’s work. Fleeing the Nazis, Eliel left Germany for Scotland in 1938. Two years later, he was sent to a Canadian internment camp as an “enemy alien.” Eventually, Eliel made his way to Cuba, where he earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry at the University of Havana. Eliel immigrated to the U.S. in 1946. He completed his doctoral studies at the University of Illinois, UrbanaWWW.C E N- ONLI NE .ORG
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His tenure has also included leading the agency through a congressional conflict-of-interest investigation, which led to significant reforms in how NIH researchers can invest in or consult with biomedical companies. Zerhouni also instituted a controversial openaccess policy for NIH-funded research (see page 33). His leadership on all of these issues has garnered him respect throughout Congress and the research community. Zerhouni “has been an absolute jewel of a public servant,” says Joe L. Barton (R-Texas), ranking member and former chairman of the Energy & Commerce Committee. “He has fulfilled the highest goals of the NIH with integrity and honor. He will be missed.” “Dr. Zerhouni is a charismatic and extremely articulate spokesman for research, able to convey his vision of the power of biomedical science to a wide audience,” says Richard B. Marchase, president of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. “We may not have agreed with him on every issue, but he was always willing to engage in a dialogue with those who held different views.” During the teleconference, Zerhouni noted that the timing of his departure is important because it makes it clear to the next Administration that they will need to find a new NIH director immediately. An acting director is expected to be named soon.—SUSAN MORRISSEY
Champaign, in just two years under the guidance of chemistry professor Harold Snyder. In 1948, Eliel joined the chemistry faculty at the University of Notre Dame. It was there that he authored the classic textbook “Stereochemistry of Carbon Compounds,” which has sold more than 40,000 copies worldwide. In 1972, Eliel joined the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he spent the remainder of his career as the W. R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Chemistry. “Ernest Eliel was a giant in his field who was always gracious and generous with his time,” says Michael Crimmins, chair of UNC’s chemistry department. “He espoused and contributed to the highly collegial nature of the department, and although we will certainly miss him, his spirit will always be with us because of the great influence that he had on so many people here.” “Ernest was a modest man with an energy content and focus that matched his commitment to his profession,” adds Jeffrey I. Seeman, a chemical historian at the University of Richmond who edited Eliel’s autobiography “From Cologne to Chapel Hill.” Once described by a colleague as a bulldog, Eliel listed persistence as one of his fundamental values. “In science, even the best-laid-out ideas frequently don’t work out,” he told Seeman for a biographical sketch (Chirality 2002, 14, 98). “You have to find a way to get around the difficulties. If you give up right away, you won’t get anywhere.” Eliel is survived by his wife, Eva; daughters Ruth and Carol; and two grandchildren.—BETHANY HALFORD
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