Obituary – Professor Dr. Jerzy Jaroszewski
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Professor Jerzy W. Jaroszewski, editor of Planta Medica, died in Copenhagen on October 18, 2011 at the age of 60. Jerzy W. Jaroszewski was born in Poland in 1950. Early in the 1970s he came to Denmark where he initiated studies in organic chemistry at the Uni- versity of Copenhagen. In 1976 he obtained his masterʼs degree followed by a Ph.D. thesis with Martin G. Ettlinger as his supervisor. After having graduated in 1980, he was employed at The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy (later The Danish Uni- versity of Pharmaceutical Sciences and now The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen) where he was appointed professor by the Department of Medicinal Chemistry in 1997. His Ph.D. study focused on cyanogenic gly- cosides which had been fascinating him for a number of years. As a result, intensive studies on the cyanogenic glycosides of the Flacourtiaceae family were initiated in order to understand their formation from non-proteinogenic amino acids. Subsequently, studies were performed on gossy- pol, a sesquiterpenoid polyphenol from cotton- seed that displays male antifertility activity. Early on, he recognized the potential of modern NMR spectroscopic methods, and in 1990 the first superconducting NMR spectrometer (400 MHz) was installed at the department as a result of his efforts. Following periods at the laboratory of Jack S. Cohen at the National Institute of Health and visits at Georgetown University Medical School, a number of projects related to the application of antisense DNA technology were completed. Dur- ing the 1990s, a collaborative project on neuroac- tive polyamine wasp toxin analogues was initi- ated, resulting in identification of a number of analogues with superior properties as well as in the development of improved synthetic method- ologies for this type of natural product. Parallel studies on antiplasmodial natural products led to the discovery of erythrocyte membrane effects of some natural products. During the last 10 years of his career, emphasis was put on hyphenated NMR methods for rapid dereplication of natural product extracts. In this period, equipment for hyphenated HPLC‑SPE- NMR-MS (600 MHz spectrometer and a cryo- probe) was installed at the department enabling the detection and structure elucidation of chemi- cal entities in low μg amounts. This equipment was also intended to be used for identification of natural products blocking the fungal plasma membrane H + -ATPase, an ideal antifungal drug target. Unfortunately, Jerzy Jaroszewski will not see the outcome of this project. He also was in- volved in metabolomic studies with the aim of characterizing herbal tribal medicines. During his career Jerzy Jaroszewski coauthored about 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals, re- views, and book chapters. He served as head of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry for five years and since 2007 as an editor for Planta Medi- ca, a position in which he impressed authors with his thoughtful comments and positive criticism. Besides his scientific career, he participated in the development of new curricula for courses on nat- ural product chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, and advanced spectroscopy. More than 30 Ph.D. students and 50 M.Sc. students benefited from his enthusiasm as scientist and tutor. The Depart- ment of Medicinal Chemistry, Planta Medica, and the scientific society are going to miss Jerzy W. Jaroszewskiʼs knowledge and working attitude in the future. Søren Brøgger Christensen Department of Medicinal Chemistry University of Copenhagen Prof. Dr. Jerzy Jaroszewski Obituary – Professor Dr. Jerzy Jaroszewski Author Søren B. Christensen Affiliation Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark received October 21, 2011 accepted October 21, 2011 Bibliography DOI http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1055/s-0031-1280345 Planta Med 2011; 77: 1869 © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York · ISSN 0032‑0943 Correspondence Dr. Søren B. Christensen Department of Medicinal Chemistry University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences Universitetsparken 2 2100 Copenhagen Denmark Phone: + 45 35 30 62 53 Fax: + 45 35 30 60 41 [email protected] 1869 Christensen SB. Obituary – Professor … Planta Med 2011; 77: 1869 Obituary
Transcript of Obituary – Professor Dr. Jerzy Jaroszewski
Professor Jerzy W. Jaroszewski, editor of PlantaMedica, died in Copenhagen on October 18, 2011at the age of 60.Jerzy W. Jaroszewski was born in Poland in 1950.Early in the 1970s he came to Denmark where heinitiated studies in organic chemistry at the Uni-versity of Copenhagen. In 1976 he obtained hismasterʼs degree followed by a Ph.D. thesis withMartin G. Ettlinger as his supervisor. After havinggraduated in 1980, he was employed at The RoyalDanish School of Pharmacy (later The Danish Uni-versity of Pharmaceutical Sciences and now TheFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University ofCopenhagen) where he was appointed professorby the Department of Medicinal Chemistry in1997. His Ph.D. study focused on cyanogenic gly-cosides which had been fascinating him for anumber of years. As a result, intensive studies onthe cyanogenic glycosides of the Flacourtiaceaefamily were initiated in order to understand theirformation from non-proteinogenic amino acids.Subsequently, studies were performed on gossy-pol, a sesquiterpenoid polyphenol from cotton-seed that displays male antifertility activity.Early on, he recognized the potential of modernNMR spectroscopic methods, and in 1990 the firstsuperconducting NMR spectrometer (400MHz)was installed at the department as a result of hisefforts. Following periods at the laboratory of JackS. Cohen at the National Institute of Health andvisits at Georgetown University Medical School, anumber of projects related to the application ofantisense DNA technology were completed. Dur-ing the 1990s, a collaborative project on neuroac-tive polyamine wasp toxin analogues was initi-ated, resulting in identification of a number ofanalogues with superior properties as well as inthe development of improved synthetic method-ologies for this type of natural product. Parallelstudies on antiplasmodial natural products led tothe discovery of erythrocyte membrane effects ofsome natural products.During the last 10 years of his career, emphasiswas put on hyphenated NMR methods for rapiddereplication of natural product extracts. In thisperiod, equipment for hyphenated HPLC‑SPE-NMR-MS (600MHz spectrometer and a cryo-probe) was installed at the department enablingthe detection and structure elucidation of chemi-cal entities in low µg amounts. This equipmentwas also intended to be used for identification ofnatural products blocking the fungal plasma
membrane H+-ATPase, an ideal antifungal drugtarget. Unfortunately, Jerzy Jaroszewski will notsee the outcome of this project. He also was in-volved in metabolomic studies with the aim ofcharacterizing herbal tribal medicines.During his career Jerzy Jaroszewski coauthoredabout 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals, re-views, and book chapters. He served as head ofthe Department of Medicinal Chemistry for fiveyears and since 2007 as an editor for Planta Medi-ca, a position in which he impressed authors withhis thoughtful comments and positive criticism.Besides his scientific career, he participated in thedevelopment of new curricula for courses on nat-ural product chemistry, bioorganic chemistry,and advanced spectroscopy. More than 30 Ph.D.students and 50 M.Sc. students benefited fromhis enthusiasm as scientist and tutor. The Depart-ment of Medicinal Chemistry, Planta Medica, andthe scientific society are going to miss Jerzy W.Jaroszewskiʼs knowledge and working attitude inthe future.
Søren Brøgger ChristensenDepartment of Medicinal Chemistry
University of Copenhagen
Prof. Dr. Jerzy Jaroszewski
Obituary – Professor Dr. Jerzy JaroszewskiAuthor Søren B. Christensen
Affiliation Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
received October 21, 2011accepted October 21, 2011
BibliographyDOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/s-0031-1280345Planta Med 2011; 77: 1869© Georg Thieme Verlag KGStuttgart · New York ·ISSN 0032‑0943
CorrespondenceDr. Søren B. ChristensenDepartment of MedicinalChemistryUniversity of Copenhagen,Faculty of PharmaceuticalSciencesUniversitetsparken 22100 CopenhagenDenmarkPhone: + 4535306253Fax: + [email protected]
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Christensen SB. Obituary – Professor… Planta Med 2011; 77: 1869
Obituary
