Life science awards given to four

Four individuals or entities with University connections recently were given Missouri Excellence in Life Science Awards from the Missouri Biotechnology Association.

Philip Needleman, Ph.D., associate dean for special research projects in the School of Medicine, received the lifetime achievement award for excellence in life sciences. Needleman first came to the medical school as a postdoctoral fellow in 1964. He rose to chair the Department of Pharmacology from 1976-1989.

He left the medical school in 1989 and through a series of promotions became senior executive vice president, chief scientific officer and chairman of research and development at Pharmacia Corp. (formerly Monsanto/Searle), a position he held until this year.

Garland R. Marshall, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics, received an award for excellence in life sciences entrepreneurship. Marshall formerly directed the Center for Molecular Design in the Institute for Biomedical Computing.

He is a founding member of the newly formed Center for Computational Biology, a joint effort by the departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, of Biomedical Engineering and of Genetics. Upon his arrival at the University in 1966, Marshall constructed the second automated peptide synthesizer; the first being on display at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at the School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital received an award for program center of excellence.

The Coalition for Plant and Life Sciences, chaired by William Danforth, chancellor emeritus and vice chairman of the Board of Trustees, received an award for excellence in bioinvestment. The award recognized the organization for furthering economic and workforce development by making financial investments in the life sciences sector.

The Jefferson City-based Missouri Biotechnology Association is a nonprofit trade association dedicated to development and growth of the Missouri biotechnology and biomedical industry.

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