AUSTINThe American Botanical Council (ABC) awarded Gordon Cragg, Ph.D., the Norman R. Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award.
Cragg spent most of his professional career working as the research director at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as chief of the institute's Natural Products Branch (NPB). He served as president of the American Society of Pharmacognosy, and has been awarded the William L. Brown Award for Excellence in Genetic Resource Conservation and three National Institutes of Health Awards of Merit.
Gordon Cragg is recognized around the world as a leading figure in the efforts to discover new anticancer drugs from plants and other natural materials," said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of ABC. He has a reputation of being a first-class scientist, a friendly collaborator, and an empowering mentor to other researchers. ABC is honored to recognize Cragg with the annual ABC Norman R. Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award."
The naming of the award after Professor Norman Farnsworth is of huge significance to me," Cragg said. I had the pleasure and privilege of being associated with his dynamic leadership and research in the area of drug discovery from plants and other natural sources for well over 20 years, and his contributions to the National Cancer Institute natural products program over many decades were outstanding. He was truly a giant in our field of research!"
Last February, De-An Guo, Ph.D., was awarded the ABC Norman R. Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award.