V. Craig Jordan, CMG, OBE
Professor V. Craig Jordan, CMG, OBE
BornJuly 25, 1947
New Braunfels, Texas, US
Alma materUniversity of Leeds
Known for"Father of Tamoxifen"; Research on SERMs, particularly tamoxifen and raloxifene
Awards
Scientific career
FieldsPharmacology, Cancer Research
InstitutionsUniversity of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; University of Leeds; Ludwig Institute, Bern, Switzerland; University of Wisconsin–Madison; Northwestern University; Fox Chase Cancer Center; Georgetown University

Virgil Craig Jordan, CMG, OBE, FMedSci, is a scientist with American and British citizenship specializing in drugs for breast cancer treatment and prevention.[1] Currently, he is Professor of Breast Medical Oncology, and Professor of Molecular and Cellular Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. Previously, he was Scientific Director and Vice Chairman of Oncology at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center of Georgetown University. Jordan was the first to discover the breast cancer prevention properties of tamoxifen and the scientific principles for adjuvant therapy with antihormones.[2] More recently his work has branched out into the prevention of multiple diseases in women with the discovery of the drug group, selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERMs). Currently, he plans to develop a new Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for post-menopausal women that prevents breast cancer and does not increase the risk of breast cancer.[3]

Jordan's paper The Effect of Raloxifene on Risk of Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women: Results from the More Randomized Trial[4] was one of the top 20 most cited papers in breast cancer research during 2003 and 2004.[5]

Early life

Born in New Braunfels, Texas, US, Jordan moved to England with his family as a child. He went to school at Moseley Hall Grammar School in Cheshire before attending the University of Leeds where he received BSc, PhD and DSc degrees in pharmacology.

Research career

Jordan began working on the structure-activity of anti-estrogens as part of his PhD program at Leeds University. During that time, he met Arthur Walpole, the patent holder for the drug that became tamoxifen.

In September 1972, Jordan became a visiting scientist at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, Massachusetts. While there he began researching the idea that tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), could block estrogen receptors in breast tumors. Estrogen receptors in breast tumors attract estrogen which is then absorbed into the cancerous cell and encourages the cell to divide, causing the cancer to grow. Until this time, the treatment for this type of breast cancer was oophorectomy.

Jordan returned to Leeds University as a lecturer in Pharmacology between 1974 and 1979, after which he spent one year at Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at the University of Bern, Switzerland.

In 1980, Jordan joined the University of Wisconsin–Madison where he started to look at the effects of tamoxifen and another SERM, raloxifene, on bone density and coronary systems. This was needed because of the concern that long term use of SERMs could lead to osteoporosis and heart disease. Jordan's research showed that post-menopausal women who took these drugs did not suffer from a lowering of bone density or an increase in blood cholesterol. Raloxifene is now used in the prevention of osteoporosis. Jordan gained a full Professorship at Wisconsin in 1985, the same year his alma mater awarded him a DSc.

In 1993, Jordan became Professor of Cancer Pharmacology at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, IL., and director of the Breast Cancer Research Program at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. He was the inaugural holder of the Diana Princess of Wales Professor of Cancer Research (1999–2004).

In January 2005, Jordan was the inaugural Alfred G. Knudson Chair of Cancer Research at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA. He has recently published work showing that estrogen, given at the right time, causes the destruction of cancer cells rather than feeding their growth. Jordan was the Scientific Director of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Professor of Oncology and Pharmacology, Vice Chair of the Department of Oncology, and the Vincent T. Lombardi Chair of Translational Cancer Research, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., prior to moving to Texas.

Jordan was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to women's health.[6]

Personal life and national service

Jordan is the father of two daughters, Helen Turner and Alexandra Noel.

Military Service: Captain Intelligence Corps (V) (On the staff of the Deputy Chief Scientist (Army) UK (1971–75)), Attached NBC Officer Region 1 US Mobilization Designee, DEA Officers' Course and UK Police Narcotics Squad Training (1973–78), 23 Special Air Service (1975–79) (Commanding Officer Rory Walker (1975-1978)),(Commanding Officer Tony Hunter-Choat(1978-1979)), (Director SAS Group, Brigadier Johnny Watts (1975-1979)), RARO SAS (1979–97). SAS Regimental Association (2008–present).

Awards (select)

2020 Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison[7][8]

2012 Louis S. Goodman and Alfred Gilman Award in Receptor Pharmacology, American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics[9]

2011 St. Gallen Prize for Clinical Breast Cancer Research, Switzerland[10]

2008 David A. Karnofsky Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology[11]

2006 American Cancer Society Award and Lecture from the American Society for Clinical Oncology.[12]

2003 Kettering Prize[13]

2002 American Cancer Society Medal of Honor for basic research.[14]

2002 made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for services to international breast cancer research.[15]

2001 Umberto Veronesi Award for the Future Fight Against Breast Cancer (2001[16])

2001 Bristol-Myers Squibb Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer Research.[17]

2001 Doctor of Medicine, honoris causa from the University of Leeds[18]

1993 Cameron Prize for Therapeutics of the University of Edinburgh

1993 ASPET Award from the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.[19]

1993 The Gaddum Memorial Award from the British Pharmacological Society[20]

1992 Brinker International Breast Cancer Award for Basic Science from Susan G. Komen for the Cure.[21]

Recent books

Top cited publications

Total Citations as of January 11, 2021: 59,204 h-index score as of January 11, 2021: 122

References

  1. ^ Gupta, S. (2011). "Profile of V. Craig Jordan". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 108 (47): 18876–8. Bibcode:2011PNAS..10818876G. doi:10.1073/pnas.1117698108. PMC 3223455. PMID 22089238.
  2. ^ Jordan, V. C. (2008). "Tamoxifen: Catalyst for the change to targeted therapy". European Journal of Cancer. 44 (1): 30–38. doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2007.11.002. PMC 2566958. PMID 18068350.
  3. ^ Sweeney, E. E.; Fan, P; Jordan, V. C. (2014). "Molecular modulation of estrogen-induced apoptosis by synthetic progestins in hormone replacement therapy: An insight into the women's health initiative study". Cancer Research. 74 (23): 7060–8. doi:10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-14-1784. PMC 4254051. PMID 25304262.
  4. ^ Cummings, S. R.; Eckert, S.; Krueger, K. A.; Grady, D.; Powles, T. J.; Cauley, J. A.; Norton, L.; Nickelsen, T.; Bjarnason, N. H.; Morrow, M.; Lippman, M. E.; Black, D.; Glusman, J. E.; Costa, A.; Jordan, V. C. (1999). "The effect of raloxifene on risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women: Results from the MORE randomized trial. Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation". JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association. 281 (23): 2189–2197. doi:10.1001/jama.281.23.2189. PMID 10376571.
  5. ^ Essential Science Indicators - Special Topics, Breast Cancer, Top 20 Papers in last two year period.[1] Retrieved August 22, 2006.
  6. ^ "No. 62666". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 2019. p. B4.
  7. ^ "V. Craig Jordan, Michael G. Moore to receive honorary degrees from UW–Madison". news.wisc.edu. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Honorary Degree Recipients". Office of the Secretary of the Faculty. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  9. ^ "Award Recipients". www.aspet.org. American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 2012. Archived from the original on 14 April 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  10. ^ "St.Gallen Breast Cancer Award". www.oncoconferences.ch. St. Gallen Oncology Conferences. 2013. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  11. ^ ASCO Special Awards: David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award Winners [2], retrieved August 26, 2009
  12. ^ Fox Chase Cancer Center Press Release, V. Craig Jordan Receives American Cancer Society Award for Chemoprevention [3], retrieved August 22, 2006
  13. ^ GM Cancer Kettering Winner, 2003 webpage. [4], retrieved August 22, 2006
  14. ^ American cancer Society Website (Cancer.org) press release, May 29, 2002 [5] retrieved August 22, 2006
  15. ^ BBC News Queen's Birthday Honours List 2002, Diplomatic and Overseas [6], June 14, 2002. Retrieved August 22, 2006
  16. ^ "Prize Winners - IEO Award Umberto Veronesi Milan Breast Cancer Conference". www.breastmilan.com. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017.
  17. ^ Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Cancer Research Awards web page.[7] retrieved August 22, 2006
  18. ^ University of Leeds press release; Conferment of the degree of Doctor of Medicine, honoris causa, upon Virgil Craig Jordan; July 18, 2001.[8] Retrieved August 22, 2006
  19. ^ ASPET Awards List of Previous Awardees [9]. Retrieved August 26, 2009
  20. ^ British Pharmacological Society web page on Prizes.[10] Retrieved August 22, 2006
  21. ^ Komen.org web page on the 93rd annual meeting of the AACR, dated April 7, 2002 [11]. Retrieved August 22, 2006

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