In Memoriam: Moses Judah Folkman, B.A. 1953
Dr. Judah Folkman with Biological Sciences students
We are saddened by the loss of a true legend in the medical field. Distinguished alumnus and good friend to the College, Dr. Judah Folkman. Folkman, who graduated from our college in 1953, died unexpectedly, January 14 of an apparent heart attack; he was 74.
Folkman received the Ohio State University Alumni Association’s highest honor, the Alumni Medalist Award, in 2003, recognizing a lifetime of nearly-unparalleled accomplishments in the medical field, including ground-breaking cancer research. Dr. Folkman also received an Honorary Doctorate from Ohio State at its December 2006 commencement ceremony.
Folkman was Professor of Pediatric Surgery and Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Harvard University and Director of the Surgical Research Laboratory at Children’s Hospital, Boston. He was hailed internationally for blazing new trails in cancer research and his name was frequently mentioned as a well-deserved candidate for the Nobel Prize.
Long before his pioneering cancer research became front page news in the New York Times, Folkman’s reputation was well-established in the medical field. He developed the first implantable atrio-ventricular pacemaker while still a medical student at Harvard and pioneered the first implantable polymers for the slow, sustained release of drugs.
But for the past 45 years, Folkman worked relentlessly to unmask the secret of cancer growth. Early on, his investigations led him to a new theory, which he called angiogenesis, or “new blood vessel growth,” a revolutionary new idea that made him a target of criticism. The criticism only escalated when Folkman suggested cancer might be treated by checking this process with well-targeted drugs. Undaunted, Folkman kept forging ahead. Today, few doubt that Folkman created a powerful new field of medicine with thousands of researchers working in an area where once he toiled alone. Clinical trials are testing dozens of drugs developed in Folkman’s lab, which show great promise for cancer treatment for many patients once believed untreatable.
The subject of many newspaper and magazine stories, both in the United States and abroad, as well as a NOVA special, “Cancer Warrior,” Folkman will be remembered as a true hero of modern medicine, who never gave up his quest to bring new hope and viable treatment to cancer patients.
In the College of Biological Sciences, he will be remembered as a dear friend, who was especially interested in students, and who gave generously of his invaluable time and wise counsel. He will be deeply missed.
Originally published Winter 2008
