Chemistry Symposium Celebrates Works and Legacy of Iwao Ojima
Iwao Ojima is known for his work at the interface of chemical synthesis and life sciences. A member of the Stony Brook faculty since 1983, Ojima, currently a distinguished professor in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Chemistry, has published more than 500 papers and reviews in leading journals, has received more than 160 issued patents, including 48 US patents, has given more than 140 plenary and invited lectures in international meetings, and has more than 1,000 publications to his credit. In recognition of these achievements, he has received four prestigious national awards from the American Chemical Society.
Former students, postdocs, fellow faculty members and scientists from around the world came together in the Charles B. Wang Center for a two-day symposium June 6 and 7 celebrating Ojima’s 80th birthday, as well as his works, legacy and significant contributions to Stony Brook University. The symposium, titled “Research and Innovation at the Interface of Chemistry, Biology and Medicine,” featured 35 speakers.
“I never thought I would be continuing research and education at age 80,” said Ojima. “It is an important milestone for me to be able to celebrate my 80th birthday with many of my former students, postdoctoral researchers, visiting scientists and colleagues. I feel very fortunate to have a large number of ‘Ojima Research Family’ members, who have been keeping personal ties with me since they left Stony Brook. Many of them have come back here to celebrate my 80th birthday by presenting cutting edge research and innovation or successful career development other than as a chemistry researcher in government, industry, law firm, clinic, education, etc.”
The opening lecture was delivered by Makoto Fujita, University Distinguished Professor of the University of Tokyo and recipient of the inaugural Ojima Distinguished Lectureship Award in Chemistry in 2022.
“It is a great opportunity when you can be in an event involving Professor Ojima because you always know it’s going to be rigorous, and you always know you’re going to walk out being able to think about things a little differently,” said Carl W. Lejuez, executive vice president and provost at Stony Brook. “You’re going to be enriched. And when we think about what it means for former students to come together, to want to really commemorate and support their mentor, that’s indicative of the sort of enrichment that folks got. Many of those students are here today to pay it back and be part of commemorating something that’s very special.”
“The Department of Chemistry has a long and important history of conducting research and teaching at the interface of chemistry and biology, medicine, material science and engineering, and Professor Ojima has been part of this rich history for more than four decades,” added David Wrobel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “His work in developing anti-cancer agents, antimicrobial agents, anti-inflammatory agents and various enzyme inhibitors has been vital to the improvement of human health globally, and exemplifies the mission of our College of Arts and Sciences of creating new knowledge of the physical world and applying it to improve society and the human condition.”
In his career, Ojima has mentored nearly 150 graduate students (80 PhD and 44 master’s), 75 postdocs, 130 undergraduates, and 84 high school summer research students.
“The numbers are staggering,” said Lejuez. “His numbers are numbers an entire university can be proud of. And you always need that driving force as a mentor. We don’t always talk about and appreciate the labor and effort that go into being a mentor.”
Throughout the event, Ojima’s fellow scientists and former students echoed those sentiments.
“Professor Ojima is a world-class scientist, but he also is a passionate mentor for others, ranging from high school students to junior faculty,” said Carlos Simmerling, a professor in the Department of Chemistry. “I am fortunate to have had him as a role model for my entire independent career.”
Simmerling also gave a lecture titled “Accurate modeling of biomolecular structure, dynamics and interactions.” It was under the leadership of then-department chair Ojima that Simmerling was hired as an assistant professor in 1998. He is currently the Marsha Laufer Professor of Physical and Quantitative Biology and associate director of Stony Brook’s Laufer Center for Physical & Quantitative Biology.
“Ten years ago, on his 70th birthday, I asked Professor Ojima if we would be here for his 80th and he said, ‘no, it takes too much energy,’” said Scott Kuduk, BS ’92, PhD ’96 and chair of the celebration’s organizing committee. “But here we are, and it’s because Professor Ojima continues to have so much energy. I spent 8 1/2 years at Stony Brook as an undergraduate and graduate student. Today is an opportunity for us to create new memories and celebrate Professor Ojima on this great occasion.”
“The words awe, appreciation, and respect come to mind when I think of Iwao Ojima,” said Stanislaus Wong, distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry. “Awe and wonder at the sheer breadth and depth of his expertise. It’s worth highlighting that Professor Ojima is one of the very few chemists ever to be presented with four prestigious American Chemical Society Awards for different sub-disciplines including natural product synthesis, medicinal chemistry, organic catalysis and fluorine chemistry. These awards are a testament to his profound impact and creative influence in many singular areas of inquiry over the course of decades.”
Wong also mentioned Ojima’s founding of the Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery in 2004 and his critical leadership in establishing the Stony Brook chapter of the National Academy of Inventors in 2015, serving as president.
“These entities, with their many activities and annual conferences, are now campus mainstays and have helped to define how we think about research innovation at Stony Brook,” said Wong. “Both have stimulated new ways of thinking and provided an effective mechanism with which to promote cutting-edge intellectual discourse and discussion in practice. As a result, Professor Ojima’s efforts have created interdisciplinary communities of colleagues. In fact, many of those here would not otherwise have interacted with each other. They are here today not only for his service as an editor and an advisory board member to multiple journals, but also for what he has selflessly done to lift the careers of so many of us in this room today.”
Wong cited The Republic, the influential work by the Greek philosopher Plato, in which he defined the crucial attributes and traits of an ideal ruler of a city-state who combined knowledge, wisdom, justice and virtue in the pursuit of good governance.
“If someone today were to write something similar to describe the nature of an ideal scientist, of what an ideal faculty member ought to be, what Iwao Ojima has stood for his entire life should be part of that,” said Wong. “While there are still many chapters to be written in his career, what a remarkable journey it has been. Reflecting his many extensive achievements and the tangible and distinctive contributions he has made to so many different fields, the speakers over the course of these two days of this special symposium honored him with thoughtful and interesting presentations and discussions which covered a diverse array of topics spanning chemical biology to organic synthesis to drug development from a host of academic, industrial, and clinical perspectives.”
Ojima delivered the closing lecture on Saturday evening.
“It is extremely rewarding and rather surprising in some cases to hear episodes where I gave advice, critical comments, encouragements, personal support, etc., which gave significantly positive influence to their career development or personal lives,” said Ojima after the conference. “In addition to my mission to explore and advance scientific research and innovation, my other important mission is the cultivation of the next-generation researchers and leaders. In fact, I felt that the reason why I survived through two life-threatening health incidents when I was age 60 and 70, respectively, was because my mission was not accomplished. I feel blessed by achieving this milestone through four decades of my life at Stony Brook. I still have exciting research projects and research teams to advance them, and I will continue my mission and naively follow the call from above to conclude it and will move to the next chapter.”
— Robert Emproto