Dr. Alfred Gilman was a distinguished scientist whose career spanned academia, pharmaceutical development, and cancer research leadership with profound impact on biomedical science. He served as chair of the Department of Pharmacology at UT Southwestern Medical Center for over two decades, later becoming dean of the medical school and provost before retiring in 2009. Upon his retirement, he assumed the role of Chief Scientific Officer at the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, where he was entrusted with distributing $3 billion in cancer research funding over a decade. His tenure at CPRIT was defined by his steadfast commitment to scientific excellence and rigorous peer review processes conducted by external experts free from conflicts of interest. Gilman's principled resignation from CPRIT in 2012, followed by seven senior scientists, underscored his unwavering dedication to scientific integrity when he believed the review process was being compromised by political and commercial pressures.
Gilman's most significant scientific contribution was the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of G proteins, for which he shared the 1994 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Martin Rodbell. His pioneering research elucidated the fundamental principles governing cell communication and signal transduction, revealing how G proteins serve as molecular switches that transmit signals from outside to inside cells. This groundbreaking work provided the foundation for understanding numerous disease processes ranging from cancer to cholera and has led to the development of numerous therapeutic agents targeting G protein-coupled receptors. Gilman and his colleagues further advanced the field by elucidating the structure and regulatory mechanism of adenylyl cyclase, demonstrating how stimulatory and inhibitory G proteins bidirectionally regulate this critical enzyme. The profound impact of his discoveries continues to shape pharmaceutical development and our understanding of cellular physiology across multiple disease domains.
Beyond his laboratory achievements, Gilman co-founded Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and served on the board of directors at Eli Lilly and Company, demonstrating his commitment to translating basic science into therapeutic applications. He received numerous prestigious honors including the Nobel Prize, the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research, and the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize for his transformative contributions to biomedical science. His principled stand at CPRIT established an enduring legacy of scientific integrity in research funding, influencing how public funds for science are managed to maintain rigorous peer review standards. Gilman's contributions to pharmacology were formally recognized by UT Southwestern through the creation of the Alfred G. Gilman Distinguished Chair in Pharmacology in 2014. His life and career exemplify the vital connection between fundamental scientific discovery, translational medicine, and the ethical stewardship of public research resources that continues to inspire scientists worldwide.
