NOVEMBER 2008 VOLUME 21, NUMBER 11 Copyright 2008 by the American Chemical Society
In Memoriam: Colin F. Chignell On July 16, 2008, the chemical toxicology community and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences lost one of its scientific leaders and a pioneer in the field of chemical- and phototoxicology. Dr. Colin Chignell passed away in a tragic drowning accident at North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, leaving behind a beloved wife, two children, and two grandchildren. Colin received a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree in 1959 and a Doctorate in Medicinal Chemistry in 1962, both from the
University of London, United Kingdom. He came to NIH as a Visiting Fellow in 1962. From 1965 to 1968, he was one of the first NIGMS Research Associates in Pharmacology and Toxicology (now called the Pharmacology Research in Toxicology, PRAT Program). In 1977, Colin moved to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, where he held a variety of scientific and administrative positions that included Chief of the Laboratory of Environmental Biophysics and the Laboratory
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of Molecular Biophysics, as well as acting Scientific Director. As Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, he recruited all three of the principal investigators trained in physical chemistry who are presently at NIEHS. In his professional career, Colin was at the forefront of a revolution in pharmacology that sought to understand the molecular basis of pharmacological activity. He appreciated the critical importance of technological innovations for elucidation of the molecular interactions that form the basis for therapeutic efficacy as well as adverse toxicological reactions. One of Colin’s most significant insights was an appreciation that the inherent photolability and photoreactivity of many pharmacological agents and xenobiotics meant that a full understanding of the health effects would require photochemical as well as more conventional biochemical and biological evaluations. His specific research interests included the investigation of the photosensitization reactions (phototoxicity and/or photoallergy) that occur in exposed tissues such as the skin and eyes due to the reaction of ultraviolet and/or visible radiation with endogenous and exogenous chemical agents that form singlet oxygen and free radicals. His group used a variety of molecular biology approaches as well as sophisticated spectroscopic techniques such as fluorescence, phosphorescence, electron spin resonance, and laser and conventional flash photolysis in these studies. He published over 220 peer-reviewed articles in leading biomedical journals, as well as more than 30 book chapters and reviews, including at least nine publications in 2008. In 1973, he was awarded the John J. Abel “The Father of American Pharmacol-
ogy” prize by the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. Recently, he was named Associate Editor of the Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. Dr. Chignell was an outstanding, internationally recognized scientist who made major contributions to the fields of free radical biology and medicine and molecular toxicology. However, he will be best remembered by his colleagues at NIEHS for his impressively high scientific and administrative integrity and his fair treatment of others. He was a valued and readily accessible colleague who had a broad knowledge of chemical and biochemical topics. His managerial style was always nurturing and supportive, never overbearing, and he never tried to impose his will on the objectives or operation of the individual research groups under his supervision. Moreover, he treated everyone in the same fair, supportive, and friendly manner, regardless of their station. He was an inspiring supervisor to students and postdoctoral fellows from countries around the globe. For many, the training and research expertise obtained in Dr. Chignell’s laboratory was the foundation to the successful development of their careers as scientists. Colin was an accomplished professional, a dedicated scientist, an effective mentor, and a talented organizer. He was a highly principled person and a beloved figure at NIEHS who will be greatly missed by his many friends and colleagues. Thomas Eling Ronald Mason TX800309Q
