After a five-year phased retirement, Professor Yusuf Abul-Hajj is set to retire June 30. A faculty member since 1968, Dr. Abul-Hajj has served in many leadership positions, including head of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry for 21 years. Under his leadership, Medicinal Chemistry became one of the top ranked departments in the country and prepared numerous future medicinal chemists. He also served as senior editor of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry from 1995 to 2012. For nearly 50 years, he has conducted groundbreaking research on the development of steroidal agents for the treatment of breast cancer as well as studying the underlying mechanisms involved in the genotoxicity and carcinogenicity of estrogen. In 2012, Dr. Abul-Hajj co-authored the book, From Digitalis to Ziagen, which covers the history of Medicinal Chemistry at the college, including the establishment of the department as well as the leadership role the department and its faculty played in drug development. He has received many awards and recognition throughout his career, including the Lawrence and Delores Weaver Medal, and was named a Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Chemical Society.
Please join in thanking Dr. Abul-Hajj for his years of significant contribution to our college and to medicinal chemistry.
