Patrick Harran
Patrick Harran (born 13 July 1969) is an American organic chemist who has held the D. J. & J. M. Cram Chair in Organic Chemistry, an endowed chair at the University of California, Los Angeles, since 2008. Prior to taking this position he was a professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.[1] Harran was educated at Skidmore College graduating in 1990. He went on to Yale University, where he was awarded a Ph.D. in 1995.[2]
Research
Harran's research is focused on the total synthesis of natural products, design of novel chemical compounds to study protein–protein interactions, and medicinal chemistry.[3]
Awards and Honors[4]
- Hanson-Dow Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2013
- Glenn T. Seaborg Award - Alpha Chi Sigma, 2009
- Norman Hackerman Prize of the Robert A. Welch Foundation, 2007
- E. Bright Wilson Prize - Harvard University, 2005
- Merck Research Laboratories Chemistry Council Award, 2005-2007
- Mar Nell and F. Andrew Bell Distinguished Chair, 2005
- Pfizer Award for Creativity in Organic Synthesis, 2003
- Distinguished Alumni Award, Skidmore College, 2003
- Eli Lilly Grantee, 2003-2004
- AstraZeneca Excellence in Chemistry Award, 2002
- Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow, 2002-2004
- National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 2000-2004
- National Research Service Award, Stanford University, 1995-1997
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Research Fellow, Yale University, 1993
- American Institute of Chemists Award, Skidmore College, 1990
- Highest Departmental Honors in Chemistry, Skidmore College, 1990
- One Year Advanced Admission, Skidmore College, 1986
Laboratory fire
On December 29, 2008, a fire in Harran's UCLA laboratory fatally burned research assistant Sheri Sangji. Harran in 2011 was charged with four felony counts of willfully violating occupational safety standards in the case, carrying a maximum jail term of 4.5 years. It was the first time any American academic had been criminally charged for a laboratory accident. Representatives of Harran, and the University's Board of Regents who were also charged in the incident, disputed the charges.[5][6]
Harran and prosecutors in 2014 reached a deferred prosecution agreement in which Harran was ordered to pay $10,000 to a local burn center and do 800 hours of community service.[5][7] Deputy District Attorney Craig W. Hum said that the penalty was similar to any sentence Harran would have received if convicted, while Sangji's family criticized it as "barely a slap on the wrist".[7] The charges were subsequently dropped in 2018, in accordance with the settlement terms.[8]
References
- Curriculum vitae Archived 2014-08-19 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 2014-08-20.
- Curriculum vitae Archived 2014-08-19 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 2014-08-20.
- "Harran Research Group - Research Interests". University of California at Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 2015-04-18.
- "Harran Research Group". www.chem.ucla.edu. Retrieved 2016-08-02.
- Christensen, Kim (June 20, 2014), "UCLA chemistry professor avoids prison time in fatal lab fire case", Los Angeles Times.
- Christensen, Kim (January 21, 2012), "Report faults professor, UCLA in death of lab assistant", Los Angeles Times.
- Benderly, Beryl (2014-07-09). "The Landmark Patrick Harran Case Ends Inconclusively". Taken for Granted. AAAS. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
- "Charges dropped against UCLA chemistry professor Patrick Harran for death of Sheri Sangji after lab fire". Chemical & Engineering News. Retrieved 2020-05-07.