Among the retirement gifts Dr. Chan received from his colleagues in the Department of Pharmacology were this Steuben Crystal Star presented by Dr. Arleen Rifkind, professor of pharmacology, and a Cornell University chair.
Dr. Walter W.Y. Chan, professor of pharmacology, will retire in June after more than 40 years at the Medical College. He was honored at a dinner-dance hosted by the Department of Pharmacology on May 8 in the Griffis Faculty Club. Many friends and colleagues attended, including the former chairman of the department, Dr. Walter Riker Jr.
During his distinguished career at Cornell, Dr. Chan made seminal contributions to the understanding of the pharmacology of oxytocin and vasopressin peptides. He and his colleagues in the Department of Pharmacology were first to identify the role of prostaglandins as the principal cause of dysmenorrhea, the painful and uncomfortable symptoms that many women experience during menstruation. His work in this area contributed to the development of many of the drugs used to prevent or treat these symptoms. Dr. Chan has also made major contributions to the development of selective oxytocin antagonists, vasopressin receptor antagonists, and novel hypotensive vasopressin peptides, working with his longtime collaborator Dr. Maurice Manning.
Dr. Chan joined Cornell University Medical College as a research associate in the Department of Biochemistry in 1960, even before he was officially awarded his Ph.D. in pharmacology from Columbia University (which he received in 1961). He was recruited to Cornell by Nobel laureate Dr. Vincent du Vigneaud, who was chairman of biochemistry at that time. Dr. Chan became assistant professor of biochemistry in 1964, and two years later made a transfer to the Department of Pharmacology, where he continued his research under Dr. Riker's leadership. Progressing through the faculty ranks, Dr. Chan became professor of pharmacology in 1976. In 1983, he became acting chairman of the department, following Dr. Riker's retirement, and served as acting chairman until the appointment of Dr. Lorraine Gudas in 1991.
Almost ready for Broadway are Dr. Chan, his collaborator Dr. Maurice Manning, pharmacology chairman Dr. Lorraine Gudas, and Beatrice Chan.
"When I think of Walter Chan, I think of the word 'professional,'" said Dr. Gudas. "He has been a wonderful teacher and outstanding researcher here, and he did a terrific job of leading the department as acting chairman for eight years. Because of his efforts, the future of pharmacology at Cornell is bright."
Dr. Chan plans to retire to Walnut Creek, Calif., near San Francisco. He and his wife, Beatrice, will be able to devote much more time to one of their favorite activities, ballroom dancing.