Steroid Prehormones

Abstract

STEROID PREHORMONES* D. BAIRDA R HORTON.t C. LONGCOPE,§ and J. F. TAIT* Concerning Gregory Pincus To us, the most outstanding personal quality of Gregory Pincus in professional life was his serenity under continuous pressure. It was usual, during the time we knew him, for his activities to include: the supervision ofhis own research activities which inevitably involved extensive travel to his clinical trial centers in Haiti, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere; administration of a large research institute; arrangement ofprograms for various international societies; and general organization ofthe Laurentian Hormone Conference. Not all these activities were equally successful, but only now when these responsibilities are being divided have some of us fully appreciated the extent of his load and his lightheartedness under it. He was continuously preoccupied with the daily problems of a research institute administered centrally without appreciable delegation ofauthority, but he never reduced his accessibility to all the staff of the Worcester Foundation. Also, either because or in spite ofthe need for his attention to detailed administration, he always thought strategically as a scientist. Nor did this calmness indicate any sluggishness ofspirit. It was probably not obvious to younger workers whom he met during the last few years, but he had a remarkable record as a constructive rebel. In our diploma society the decision to do applied medical research without a medical degree is not an easy one. However, Gregory Pincus, although he felt these and other prejudices, never publicly expressed his resentments, and he hated to feel bitterness in a person. Actually, perhaps because ofhis lack of medical training and any personal experience in the detailed management ofpatients, he was able to think more broadly about human problems, and as a result of his diplomacy and personal warmth, he was easily able to attract and work with M.D.'s on his projects. Nevertheless, the initial step to enter the applied medical field must have required courage and dedication. * Work supported by U.S. Public Health Service grants AM-03179, AM-11252, and AM-10019 and American Cancer Society grant P-404 at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, Shrewsbury, Mass., and UCLA Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles, Calif. t Trainee, Steroid Biochemistry Program, U.S. National Cancer Institute, grant 5 TOi CA 5001. J USPHS Career Development Awardee K3-15955. Present address: University of Alabama Medical Center, Birmingham, Alabama.§ Special USPHS fellowship, F3-HD-6645. ** USPHS Career Awardee GM-K6-18322. 384 D. Baird et al. · Steroid Prehormones Perspectives in Biology and Medicine · Spring 19 Two organizations, the Laurentian Hormone Conference and the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, were also products ofthis courageous spirit ofGregory Pincus. The Laurentian Hormone Conference was founded by the action ofa group ofrebels with humanistic as well as scientific motives. Starting as a splinter movement, it has subsequently, in our opinion, been a major influence in preserving the unity ofendocrinology in North America and, perhaps indirectly, throughout the world. From its inception in 1943 until his death in August, 1967, Gregory Pincus was the chairman of the Conference. Its success has been due largely to his broad knowledge ofendocrinology and to his genius as a diplomat and committee chairman. Rarely can scientific programs be decided with such speed, efficiency, and fairness, and this was due largely to the personal qualities ofGregory Pincus. The WorcesterFoundationwas started in 1944, again as an act ofconstructive rebellion against the lack ofopportunities at that time for doing professional research in the usual academic departments ofuniversities. The merits of such a research institution are frequently debated and cannot be discussed objectively by investigators such as ourselves who have benefited immensely by working in one during the past ten years. Nevertheless , there is no question that the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology offers unique opportunities to visitors from this continent and overseas to do several years of intensive research unburdened by the usual administrative duties. This tribute and the subsequent review are written by five such visitors. S. A. S. Tait andJ. F. Tait Introduction Emmens [1] has defined a prohormone as a substance which exerts its biological effect by peripheral conversion to a more active compound. However, Emmens did not consider a prohormone to be a...