The research team will be honored Sept. 7 at the American Chemical Society's 226th national meeting in New York along with chemists from Abbott Laboratories, Pfizer Inc and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. The Merck researchers are Robert Young, Ph.D., Robert J. Zamboni, Ph.D., and Marc Labelle, Ph.D. (now with Tularik, Inc., San Francisco, Calif.).
This year the FDA also approved Singulair® for the relief of symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis in patients two years and older. Singulair® works by blocking substances in the body called leukotrienes, an underlying cause of asthma and allergy symptoms.
"The broad range of invaluable products that our Heroes of Chemistry have developed and commercialized has dramatically advanced the health, well-being and lifestyles of children around the world," said ACS President Elsa Reichmanis, Ph.D. "The chemical advances made by the honorees serve as testimonials to the valuable role chemists and chemical engineers play in improving lives. It is with pride that the ACS recognizes them as Heroes of Chemistry."
The Heroes of Chemistry program will be held in conjunction with a celebration for the 80th anniversary of Chemical & Engineering News , the society's newsmagazine. Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D., director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University, will be the keynote speaker at the joint event. Carson has gained worldwide recognition as the principal surgeon in the separation of the conjoined Binder twins in Germany and, most recently, for his role in the separation of the Bijani twins from Iran.
The Heroes program, started in 1996, honors industrial chemists and chemical engineers who create commercially successful products that improve the quality of life. Each year Heroes of Chemistry are nominated by their own companies to recognize their talent, creativity and innovation within specific segments of the chemistry industry.
This year's Heroes' ceremony will focus on industrial chemists and chemical engineers who are improving children's health and wellness by creating commercial products based on chemistry.
The Merck Research Laboratories award winners:
Robert N. Young, Ph.D. , is vice president of medicinal chemistry at Merck Research Laboratories. He received a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of British Columbia in 1971.
Robert J. Zamboni, Ph.D. , is vice president of the medicinal chemistry department at Merck Research Laboratories. He received his Ph.D. in organic synthesis from McGill University in 1978.
Marc Labelle, Ph.D. , formerly director of medicinal chemistry at Merck Research Laboratories and currently holds the same position at Tularik Inc. He received a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the Universit‚ de Montréal in 1983.