Allan Conney

Dr. Allan H. Conney, 83, of Princeton died Sept. 10, 2013. Born in Chicago, he resided in Dobbs Ferry, NY, before moving to Princeton 26 years ago.

A pharmacologist and cancer researcher, Dr. Conney made major research contributions to science that enhanced our understanding of environmental factors influencing the metabolism and action of drugs, explained how the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons class of environmental carcinogens cause cancer, and determined the effects of several dietary substances, drugs, and exercise for cancer prevention and therapy. With more than 500 publications, he was among the seven most-cited scientists in the world in the field of pharmacology for work published from 1965 to 1978 according to the Science Citation Index, and among the 40 most-cited scientists in the world in all fields of science for work published from 1965 to 1978.

He established and served as chair of the Department of Chemical Biology in the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy of Rutgers University, served as president of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, served on several national and local advisory committees, served as an associate editor and on the editorial board of several scientific journals, and gave a large number of lectures worldwide.

He was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, earning a pharmacy degree and a PhD in cancer research.

He received more than 30 awards and honors for his research, including election into the National Academy of Sciences (USA). He was elected president of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

He is survived by his wife, Diana Locke Conney; two sons, Michael (Yulin) and Steven; a sister, Ruth Adrian; and a granddaughter.

Services were held Sept. 15 with arrangements by Orland’s Ewing Memorial Chapel, Ewing.