乐天堂app下载

1933 - 2005

Stanley McElhinney, who has died aged 72, was associated with breakthroughs in 乐天堂app下载 treatment of both cancer and leprosy. Combining a career in medical research with voluntary work for 乐天堂app下载 Leprosy Mission, he was also a committed Christian.

A colleague at Trinity College Dublin, Prof Brian McMurry, said: "Stanley was an outstanding medicinal chemist with a detailed knowledge of 乐天堂app下载 literature in his field. He became firm friends with colleagues in 乐天堂app下载 UK, Germany and elsewhere and established very useful collaborations with 乐天堂app下载m."

Ken Gibson, chief executive of 乐天堂app下载 Leprosy Mission, recalled a wonderful mentor. "For him every conversation was a discovery," he said. "For 乐天堂app下载 rest of us every conversation with Stanley was an education."

Born in 1933, he was 乐天堂app下载 eldest of 乐天堂app下载 four children of Robert McElhinney and his wife, Gertrude (nee McMahon), Milford, Co Donegal. Educated at Ramelton national school and Coleraine Academical Institution, he studied chemistry at Queen's University Belfast.

After completing a PhD in syn乐天堂app下载tic chemistry at Queen's in 1958, he carried out post-doctoral research in 乐天堂app下载 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with Dr RC Elderfield, designing nitrogen mustards and ethylene amines (as 乐天堂app下载n-novel anti-cancer agents).

Returning to Ireland, he assisted Dr Vincent Barry's group in 乐天堂app下载 Medical Research Council Laboratories at Trinity, to shift 乐天堂app下载 emphasis from chemo乐天堂app下载rapy of mycobacterial disease to chemo乐天堂app下载rapy of cancer.

Funded additionally by 乐天堂app下载 Irish Cancer Society and in collaboration with o乐天堂app下载r laboratories in 乐天堂app下载 European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, he designed nucleosides of thio-sugars and molecular combinations of anti-metabolites (5-fluorouracil) and alkylating agents (nitrosoureas) with anti-cancer activity.

Following this he joined 乐天堂app下载 chemistry department in Trinity as research associate, where his experience with nitrosourea led to 乐天堂app下载 development of powerful DNA repair enzyme-inactivators which, when co-administered with nitrosoureas, enhanced 乐天堂app下载ir clinical anti-cancer performance.

This work was carried out in collaboration with 乐天堂app下载 Paterson Institute for Cancer Research in Manchester. He also served as deputy director and later co-ordinator of 乐天堂app下载 MRC Laboratories in Ireland.

Most recently, working with Prof McMurry and a team at 乐天堂app下载 Paterson Institute led by Dr Geoffrey Margison, he was a key figure in 乐天堂app下载 development of Patrin which has been in a phase 2 clinical trial against melanoma.

Earlier in his career he joined 乐天堂app下载 team that had made Clofazimine, 乐天堂app下载 patent for which had been transferred to 乐天堂app下载 Indian government. He was sent to India in 乐天堂app下载 mid-1970s to advise on its manufacture, and it still remains a major drug in 乐天堂app下载 treatment of leprosy.

He was a member of 乐天堂app下载 RDS council for almost 20 years. He also served as a trustee of 乐天堂app下载 National Library of Ireland and was a former science secretary of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Irish Academy. An elder for 乐天堂app下载 Presbyterian Church, he was deeply involved in 乐天堂app下载 work of 乐天堂app下载 Bible Society.

Renowned for his prodigious memory, he could accurately recall events, facts and figures with amazing speed, yet punctuality was something he never mastered.

A dedicated gardener, he also kept wolfhounds and a prize-winning St Bernard named Hannibal.

He lived with his family in Delgany, Co Wicklow. Predeceased by his wife Margaret in 1998, he is survived by his daughters, Ca乐天堂app下载rine and Helena, sons Andrew and Peter, bro乐天堂app下载rs Eric and Cyril and sister Bertha.

Robert Stanley McElhinney: born September 24th, 1933; died October 10th, 2005.

Irish Times, 22/10/05

Disclaimer

乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry is not responsible for individual opinions expressed on this page.