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Food and Drug Administration Chapter
Washington, DC, Metropolitan Area

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IN MEMORIAM - Dr. Jurgen von Bredow

Dr. Jurgen von Bredow will be best remembered for his tireless work ethic and for his love of science. He was a wonderful mentor who enjoyed sharing that love of science with those around him. Furthermore, Dr. von Bredow was a Past President and long-time Officer of the FDA Chapter of Sigma Xi. His long standing involvement with the FDA Chapter was especially important to him. This was exemplified by his continued efforts to foster that interest in science in our area's youth. Dr. von Bredow was dedicated to judging the Prince George's Area Science Fair and was overjoyed when this interaction fostered an interest in science among our future young scientists.

In honor of Dr. von Bredow's commitment and dedication to our area's youth and to the FDA Chapter of Sigma Xi; our FDA Chapter in the spring of 2009 will institute the "Dr. Jurgen von Bredow Special Award for Excellence in Scientific Achievement" for presentation to the Chapter"s annual high school Prince George's Area Science Fair winner. This will be presented to our science fair winner at the Prince George's Science Fair and will consist of $100 and three complimentary tickets for the student winner to attend the FDA Chapter of Sigma Xi's spring banquet. Although Dr. von Bredow will be greatly missed, he will always be remembered.

 

The following remembrance was prepared by Dr. Bernadette Dunham, Director, Center for Veterinary Medicine

As many of you have heard today, this has been a sad week for CVM and particularly for our colleagues at the Office of Research. Dr. Jurgen von Bredow, one of our senior scientists passed away on Sunday, July 6 after losing his battle with liver cancer.

Jurgen will be best remembered for his tireless work ethic and for his love of science. He was a wonderful mentor who enjoyed sharing that love of science with the many interns who came to the Office of Research (OR). He touched the lives of many of us and we are very fortunate to have so many wonderful memories of Jurgen to reflect upon.

Mike Thomas tells a wonderful story about Jurgen that he has agreed to allow me to share. During a discussion of his division's mission/vision/values statement Jurgen said "It has the right amount of specificity and vagueness!" Everyone burst into laughter, and thereafter "the right amount of specificity and vagueness" became known as the von Bredow Theorem. So now in OR whenever someone is writing a research proposal, it is scrutinized to see if it conforms to the von Bredow Theorem. Jurgen was always a good sport about it and enjoyed invoking his specificity and vagueness principle.

Jurgen’s tenure with FDA started in June of 1993 after he retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel. Always an active researcher, Jurgen served as chief of a Pharmacology Division at Aberdeen Proving Grounds and Assistant to the Director of the Division of Experimental Therapeutics Division at Walter Reed Army Medical Institute of Research. His research was pivotal in developing Pyridostigmine, which is the only FDA approved medicine for the prevention of the deadly effects of nerve gas. He also helped to develop several treatments for cyanide poisoning as well as developing animal models to test drugs to treat cyanide poisoning which were non lethal to the animals.  Upon his retirement from the Army in 1993 he was awarded the Legion of Merit, which is the sixth highest military award and given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.

One of Jurgen’s more significant accomplishments was the development of a cow-calf model to study the transfer of drugs from a mother to the fetus or infant. He was also the principal investigator on a series of studies to measure veterinary drug levels in animal blood and urine to allow for rapid testing of live food animals in order to predict tissue drug levels.

We will miss Jurgen’s scientific expertise and his keen wit and intellect.

A memorial service for Jurgen will be held on July 19 at 1:00 pm at the Oaklands Presbyterian Church, 14301 Laurel-Bowie Road, Laurel MD. The family has requested that donations in Jurgen's memory be made to the Dr. Esteban Mezey Liver Research Fund, The Fund for Johns Hopkins, Department of Medicine, 100 North Charles Street, Suite 440, Baltimore, MD 21201. Checks should be made out to Johns Hopkins University.

With deepest sympathy and condolences,

Bernadette Dunham, D.V.M., Ph.D.
Director, Center for Veterinary Medicine



Dear fellow FDA Chapter members,

It is now time for our Sigma Xi Chapter to have elections.
We are soliciting nominations for President and President-Elect.

If you are already taking an active role in the Chapter activities or you would like to step up to take a more active role in our Chapter, please consider running for these soon to be open positions. Our Chapter has not had an election for several years. It really does not require previous in-depth involvement with the Chapter to take on a leadership role to help move our FDA Chapter forward in the coming years.

You may nominate another Chapter member or you may self-nominate. As of August 1, no nominations have been received, and the Officer Positions are still vacant.
Please send nominations to:




  1. Announcements


  2. Contact the Chapter

    An Information Form is provided so that members or other intested persons may contact the Chapter
    • Members may send in change of address information.
      Please include your home or work E-mail address, especially if you are not at FDA.
      (We have those E-mail addresses submitted to Sigma Xi with membership renewal.)
    • Members or other interested persons may send in comments or questions about Chapter business or activities.
    • Members of other Sigma Xi Chapters may request a change in affiliation to the FDA Chapter.
    • Persons may request information about Sigma Xi membership or membership forms.
    See also Officers and Contact Information, below)

  3. FDA Science Forum

    The next FDA Science Forum is tentatively scheduled for 2009

    2006 FDA Science Forum:   A Century of FDA Science: Pioneering the Future of Public Health
    April 18-20, 2006, Washington Convention Center

    The Science Forum is FDA's key scientific meeting that seeks to communicate and promote emerging issues relating to scientific development and associated regulatory concerns. Open to the public, the 2006 Forum is designed to bring FDA scientists together with representatives from other components of DHHS, industry, academia, government agencies, consumer and patient advocacy groups, Congress, international constituents, and many more stakeholders.

    Participants will learn, network, collaborate, and discuss issues in in areas related to FDA's Critical Path Initiatives and other areas of scientific investigation within the Agency. A poster session open to both FDA and non-FDA Presenters will provide an excellent opportunity for information exchange; and, the annual FDA Scientific Achievement Awards will be announced at this event.

  4. Poster Session Abstracts and Information on FDA Science Forums from Previous Years (1996-2006)

  5. Current and Recent Chapter Activities:

  6. Chapter Newsletters

  7. 2005-2007 Chapter Officers and Contact Persons:

    • President: Open
    • President-Elect: Open
    • Secretary: , (301) 436-1241
    • Treasurer: , (301) 436-1658
    • Past-Presidents: Dr. Thomas Collins, Dr. Jeff Yourick, Dr. Paddy Wiesenfeld
    • Science Fair Coordinator: Dr. Jeff Yourick
    • FDA Science Forum Coordinator: , (301) 436-1976
    • CFSAN Liaison: Dr. Paddy Wiesenfeld, (301) 210-6090
    • CVM Liaison: TBA - need a volunteer
    • CDRH Liaison: TBA - need a volunteer
    • CDER Liaison: Dr. Linda Li Ng, (301) 796-1426
    • CBER Liaison: TBA - need a volunteer
    • Emeritus FDA Liaison: TBA - need a volunteer

    • Chapter Mailing Address:
      c/o Ms. Margaret Kraeling
      FDA HFS-128
      Room 4E-021
      5100 Paint Branch Parkway
      College Park, MD 20740


    An Information Form is provided so that members or other intested persons may contact the Chapter:
    • Members may send in change of address information.
      Please include your home or work E-mail address, especially if you are not at FDA.
      (We have those E-mail addresses submitted to Sigma Xi with membership renewal.)
    • Members or other interested persons may send in comments or questions about Chapter business or activities.
    • Members of other Sigma Xi Chapters may request a change in affiliation to the FDA Chapter.
    • Persons may request information about Sigma Xi membership or membership forms.

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Last updated on 2008-AUG-19 by frf