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In Memoriam: Professor Joachim Georg Liehr (1942-2003) Dr. Joachim Georg Liehr passed away at his home in Houston, Texas, on April 8, 2003, after battling late-stage pancreatic cancer for nearly 17 months. He was 60 years of age. Joachin dedicated most of his scientific life to a better understanding of the etiology and mechanisms of estrogen-induced cancers, and his pioneering research work for nearly three decades has yielded novel mechanistic insights. His discoveries now serve as the basis for designing better strategies for the prevention and treatment of human hormonal cancers. Joachim was born on June 20, 1942, in Namslau, Germany. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Munster (Germany) in 1965 and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Delaware in 1968. Joachim started his scientific career as a Research Chemist at the University of California, Berkeley. After working for a brief period in Germany and Switzerland, he began his career as a biomedical scientist and as an academician at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston in 1976. Before moving to the Stehlin Foundation for Cancer Research at Houston in 1997 as
Chief Pharmacologist, Joachim was a Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston. He worked at UTMB from 1986 to 1997 and continued to be associated with the UTMB as a faculty member until his death. Joachim mentored 21 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in addition to teaching medical students. He dedicated most of his life to the understanding of the mechanisms of hormonal carcinogenesis. Benefiting from his strong knowledge and training in organic chemistry, Joachim was one of the first to realize the unique role of the bioactiviation of steroidal and nonsteroidal estrogens to chemically reactive quinone/semiquinone intermediates in hormonal carcinogensis. Largely using rodent models for estrogen-induced tumorigenesis, he provided several lines of early experimental evidence that laid the foundation for his novel concepts, which he summarized in over 160 peer-reviewed articles and more than 20 book chapters. Largely because of his steadfast research efforts of over two decades, it is now widely accepted that the hormonal activity of steroidal estrogens and the geno-
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toxic/mutagenic effects of the catechol metabolites act in concert in the development of estrogen-induced hormonal cancers. Recently, he had focused his efforts to show that 4-hydroxyestrogens are formed in hormone responsive cell types as hormonal signaling molecules. His laboratory has recently provided evidence of a putative 4-hydroxyestradiol receptor. Joachim believed that the loss of cellular control over physiological processes might result in genetic alterations critical for carcinogensis at the target site. Hormonal stimulation mediated by estrogen receptors and/or the 4-hydroxyestrogen specific receptor may also contribute to tumor development. In the past several years, a number of studies by Joachim and many of his colleagues, using animal models as well as human subjects, have provided further evidence in support of his hypotheses. In recent years as a Chief Pharmacologist at the Stehlin Foundation for Cancer Research, Joachim was closely associated with developing novel derivatives of camptothecin, a potent inhibitor of topoisomerase I, with markedly improved anticancer therapeutic indices. Specifically, he studied the importance of the lactone structure of the camptothecin molecule for its anticancer activity and established the structure-activity relationship of alkyl-camptothecins. Joachim served on many national and international research committees. In the past few years, he was also a major driving force behind the formation of the Cancer Cube, an NCI focus group of scientists from many diverse disciplines seeking to better understand the mechanisms of hormonal cancer and to help provide better health policy strategies. His death is a terrible loss, and the Division of Chemical Toxicology plans to honor his
memory at the 2003 American Chemical Society Fall meeting by sponsoring the Joachim Liehr Memorial Symposium: Chemical Toxicology of Hormone Replacement Therapy. As many of us came to know him, Joachim was a renowned researcher, an independent and innovative thinker, a straightforward and spirited scholar, a compassionate human being, and most of all, a profound gentleman. His colleagues, whether they are proponents or opponents of his novel and sometimes provocative scientific hypotheses, had great admiration and respect for him. His knowledge, creativity, insight, and tenacity will be missed and remembered by many of his friends and colleagues. His caring personality, courage, and love for science, as many of us witnessed during the very difficult times while he battled pancreatic cancer, touched everyone associated with him. The memories of his wonderful and inspiring personality both as a researcher and as a human being will be with us for many years to come. Our prayers and thoughts are with Joachim’s family, especially his wife Kitty, his sons Christopher and Patrick, his mother Annie, and his brother Reinhard. He will always be remembered as a pioneer in the field of chemical toxicology who will be greatly missed. Lawrence J. Marnett, Editor Judy L. Bolton, Associate Editor Chris Bradfield, Associate Editor F. Peter Guengerich, Associate Editor Paul F. Hollenberg, Feature Editor TX034087O
