Leading Researcher Dr. Brij B. Saxena Dedicated More Than 45 years to Weill Cornell Medical College and Discovery Research
NEW YORK (August 21, 2012) — A pioneer in reproductive endocrinology, Dr. Brij B. Saxena, the Harold and Percy Uris Professor of Reproductive Biology and professor of endocrinology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell Medical College, passed away on July 30. Dr. Saxena, who joined the Medical College faculty in 1966, dedicated more than 45 years of service to Weill Cornell and discovery research.
Dr. Saxena was a leading researcher in the field of reproductive endocrinology as a highly-respected inventor, mentor and researcher. Dr. Saxena's research focused on understanding the endocrine, immunological and molecular mechanisms involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal regulation and control of gonadal function, as well as the development of new drugs and drug delivery systems.
One of his most notable research discoveries was the isolation of the lutroprin receptor, which led to the development of ovulation detection and the first early reliable home pregnancy test during the 1970s. His research findings also included the discovery of the correlation between daily blood levels of FSH and LH with gonadal steroids in the regulation of the menstrual cycle. Dr. Saxena's research provided the hallmark of early diagnosis and management of gonadal dysfunction, gene mutation, pregnancy and in-vitro fertilization.
Dr. Brij B. Saxena
Dr. Saxena joined the Weill Cornell Medical College faculty as associate professor of biochemistry in the Department of Medicine in 1966. He was later appointed to associate professor of endocrinology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1970. In 1976, he was named professor of endocrinology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He was later named the Harold and Percy Uris Professor of Reproductive Biology in 2001 by Dr. Frank A. Chervenak, the Given Foundation Professor and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Weill Cornell.
At the University of Lucknow in India Dr. Saxena completed his undergraduate degree in 1949, his Masters of Science in 1951 and graduated in 1954 with a Ph.D. in biochemistry. In 1957, he received his Doctor of Sciences degree from the University of Muenster, Germany, followed by a Ph.D. in biochemistry and endocrinology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 1961.
Dr. Saxena, who was born in India in 1930 and resided in Englewood, New Jersey, is survived by his wife Anjali Saxena, who is professor emeritus at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey; his son Ranjeet Saxena, his son's daughter Jaya and her mother Beth Johnson; and his other son Sanjeet Saxena, his wife Rochelle and their daughters Kiara and Alika.
Weill Cornell Medical College
Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University's medical school located in New York City, is committed to excellence in research, teaching, patient care and the advancement of the art and science of medicine, locally, nationally and globally. Physicians and scientists of Weill Cornell Medical College are engaged in cutting-edge research from bench to bedside, aimed at unlocking mysteries of the human body in health and sickness and toward developing new treatments and prevention strategies. In its commitment to global health and education, Weill Cornell has a strong presence in places such as Qatar, Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Through the historic Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Cornell University is the first in the U.S. to offer a M.D. degree overseas. Weill Cornell is the birthplace of many medical advances -- including the development of the Pap test for cervical cancer, the synthesis of penicillin, the first successful embryo-biopsy pregnancy and birth in the U.S., the first clinical trial of gene therapy for Parkinson's disease, and most recently, the world's first successful use of deep brain stimulation to treat a minimally conscious brain-injured patient. Weill Cornell Medical College is affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where its faculty provides comprehensive patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The Medical College is also affiliated with the Methodist Hospital in Houston. For more information, visit weill.cornell.edu.