C. Robin Ganellin facts for kids

Charon Robin Ganellin was born in London, England, on January 25, 1934. He is a British scientist who specializes in medicinal chemistry. This field is all about creating new medicines. He used to be a professor at University College London.

Ganellin has helped a lot in finding and developing new drugs. He was a key part of the team that created cimetidine. This medicine helps treat stomach ulcers. He has said that developing cimetidine was the achievement he is most proud of. He worked on this important drug at a company called Smith Kline and French.

Early Life and Education

Charon Robin Ganellin grew up in east London. His father and his mother's brother were both chemists. This probably made him interested in chemistry too. Even though he also liked biology and nature, he chose to study chemistry.

As a child, Ganellin went to Harrow County Grammar School. Later, he studied at Queen Mary College in London. There, he earned his first degree in chemistry. He continued his studies at Queen Mary College. He researched a special type of chemistry called tropylium chemistry. He earned his PhD in organic chemistry in 1958 when he was 24 years old.

Discovering New Medicines

In 1958, after finishing his PhD, Ganellin started working at Smith Kline and French Laboratories in the UK. This is where he began his career in medicinal chemistry. Two years later, he went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States. He did more advanced research there for a year.

After his time at MIT, he returned to Smith Kline and French in the UK. In 1966, he led a very important research team. They worked with another famous scientist, Sir James Black. Their goal was to find new ways to block histamine, a chemical in the body. This research led to the discovery of Cimetidine.

The Impact of Cimetidine

Cimetidine is also known by its brand name, Tagamet. It became a very successful medicine. It quickly earned over one billion dollars in sales each year. This drug helped many people who suffered from stomach ulcers. Today, GlaxoSmith Kline produces this medicine.

Awards and Recognitions

Charon Robin Ganellin has written or helped write more than 260 scientific papers. He is also listed as an inventor on over 160 US patents. Patents protect new inventions.

He has held important positions in the scientific community. He was the president of the medicinal chemistry section for IUPAC. This is a global organization for chemistry. For ten years, until 2012, he led a special group focused on medicinal chemistry and drug development.

Ganellin has received many awards for his work. These awards recognize his efforts on cimetidine and his other research. He has been honored by many groups, including the Royal Society of Chemistry and the American Chemical Society.

In 1990, he was inducted into the US National Inventors Hall of Fame. This honor was for his important work on cimetidine. Today, Ganellin is an emeritus professor of medicinal chemistry. This means he is a retired professor who is still highly respected.