BIOGRAPHY As a young navy doctor in 1961, Dr. Judah Folkman noticed that tumors needed blood vessels to grow. Ten years later, Folkman published a controversial theory that is now widely accepted: targeting angiogenesis may potentially arrest cancer. Although others described tumor angiogenesis as early as 1945, Dr. Folkman’s paramount achievements formed the foundation of antiangiogenic therapy, and he is unequivocally considered the “Father of Angiogenesis.” By the time Dr. Folkman passed away, an estimated 1.2 million people had received antiangiogenic treatments. His scientific legacy endures through the Harvard Medical School clinicians and scientists who were mentored or otherwise influenced by this visionary of translational research.

FURTHER READING

• Judah Folkman, Researcher, Dies at 74 (New York Times, January 16, 2008)
• Cancer Warrior (NOVA)
• Judah Folkman, a pioneer in the study of angiogenesis. Angiogenesis. 2008 Mar; 11(1): 3–10.
• A review of Judah Folkman's remarkable achievements in biomedicine. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Sep 9;105(36):13203-5.
• Judah Folkman (Wikipedia)