Dougherty to be Commencement Speaker

THOMAS J. DOUGHERTY TO ADDRESS AUTUMN QUARTER COMMENCEMENT

COLUMBUS --  Commencement exercises for autumn quarter 
graduates of The Ohio State University will be held Dec. 8 in St. 
John Arena.  Some 1,700 degrees will be awarded in the 
ceremonies, which begin at 9:30 a.m.

The commencement speaker will be cancer researcher Thomas J. 
Dougherty.  A 1959 Ph.D. graduate of Ohio State in physical-
organic chemistry, Dougherty is internationally recognized as the 
originator and the foremost developer of the experimental 
aspects, theory and clinical utility of Photodynamic Therapy 
(PDT) for the treatment of cancer.

After a highly productive research career in photochemistry 
with the DuPont Co. from 1959 to 1970, Dougherty joined the 
Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., as a research 
associate.  There, he began an experimental program on the uses 
of the responses of chemicals to light for treatment of human 
diseases.  His research has contributed to the development of new 
methods of cancer therapy that are being used along with 
traditional surgery, chemotherapy and X-ray radiation.  Dougherty 
now serves as president and research director of the Oncologic 
Foundation of Buffalo.

Throughout the past 25 years of Dougherty's research, 
thousands of cancer patients in the United States, Japan, China, 
Canada, England, Central Europe and the Soviet Union have been 
treated with PDT methods.  Some 100 hospitals have major clinical 
programs in photochemical oncology and many physicians are being 
trained to use laser-activated chemical oncology protocols.

PDT is being used experimentally for malignancies of the 
lung, bladder, esophagus, ovary, colon and eye.  For such tumors, 
light is introduced through the mouth, nose, urethra, rectum and 
into the eye by lasers using fiber optics.  PDT is effective with 
early tumors and is not usable for cancers which are unreachable 
by light.

Dougherty holds 14 patents, with three patents pending. He 
has authored or co-authored some 140 publications and is involved 
in establishing photochemical medical systems for treatment of 
diseases other than cancer.

Dougherty is the recipient of the 1995 Joseph Sullivant 
Medal from Ohio State.  Established in 1920 by Ohio State 
professor of physics Thomas C. Mendenhall, the Sullivant Medal 
offers recognition of notable achievements by alumni or faculty 
members.

                            #

Contact:  Tracy Turner, University Communications, (614)688-3682.


[Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
               
Tue, 21 Nov 1995 14:50:09 -0500]
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