In July 2023, we changed our name from AACC (short for the American Association for Clinical Chemistry) to the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (ADLM). The following page was written prior to this rebranding and contains mentions of the association’s old name. It may contain other out-of-date information as well.
2002 Outstanding Contributions in a Selected Area of Research
Jack Ladenson, PhD, DABCC, will receive the AACC Award for Outstanding Contributions to Clinical Chemistry in a Selected Area of Research.
Dr. Ladenson was born in Philadelphia, PA. He received a BS degree in chemistry from Pennsylvania State University in 1964 and a PhD in analytical chemistry from the University of Maryland n 1971. He then became the first postdoctoral fellow in clinical chemistry at Hartford Hospital. He joined the faculty of Washington University of Medicine and the staff of Barnes Hospital (now Barnes-Jewish Hospital) in St. Louis in 1972. He was remained at Washington University, where he is currently Professor of Pathology and Immunology and of Clinical Chemistry in Medicine; he is also Associate Director of the Division of Laboratory Medicine; he is also Associate Director of the Division of Laboratory Medicine. In 1993, he became the first occupant of the Oree M. Carroll and Lillian B. Ladenson chair of clinical chemistry at Washington University.
Dr. Ladenson is receiving this award for his work in developing new tools for detecting cardiac damage and demonstrating their value to patient care. His laboratory developed the quantitative assay for CK-MB based on the monoclonal antibody they called Conan-MB. This antibody is now the basis for almost all of the commercially available assays for CK-MB. His work with CK-MB started in the early 1980s in collaboration with fellow faculty member David N. Dietzler, PhD (now deceased). Their team included Vonnie Landt, MS; Hemant Vaidya, PhD; and Sharon Porter, AAS. Washington University has recently honored this research team by creating the Conan chair in laboratory medicine. The first occupant of this chair is Sam Santoro, Director of the Division of Laboratory Medicine at Washington University.
Dr. Ladenson’s research group, including postdoctoral fellows Dave Silva and Geza Bodor, continued their investigations into biochemical markers of heart damage and developed the first practical assays for myoglobin and troponin 1. Together with collaborators in the division of cardiology, including Alan Jaffe, Paul Eisenberg, Victor Davila, and Jessee Adams, they established the specificity of troponin 1 for assessing heart damage and diagnosing myocardial infarction (heart attack). Their work, together with the studies of troponin T by Hugo Katus and his colleagues at Heidelberg and then Lübeck, have led to new criteria for the diagnosis of heart attacks and an appreciation of the spectrum of acute coronary syndromes.
Dr. Ladenson has long been active in AACC. He served as a member of the Long-Range Planning Committee in 1973-1975 and 1982-1984, was a member of the AACC Board of Directors in 1981-1983 and 1985-1987, and was President of AACC in 1986. He has also served on the nominating committee, awards committee, Van Slyke Society, and other ad hoc assignments. Ladenson has been a director of the American Board of Clinical Chemistry and of COMACC. He was a member of the Executive Council of the Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists (ACLPS) in 1985-1987 and 1994-1997, and was president of ACLPS in 1995-1996.
Dr. Ladenson has served as a member of the editorial boards of Selected Methods of Clinical Chemistry, Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, and Clinical Chemistry Outlook. He was on the editorial board of Clinical Chemistry from 1979 through 1985 and was chair of its Board of Editors from 1988 until 1993.
Dr. Ladenson has received numerous awards in the past, including the AACC Award for Outstanding Contributions in Education, the Certificate of Honor from the New Jersey Section of AACC, the Distinguished Scientist Award of the Clinical Ligand Assay Society, the Manitoba Society of Clinical Chemistry Lectureship Award, the AACC Award for Outstanding Contributions in Clinical Chemistry, the Bernard Gerulat Memorial Award of the New Jersey section, AACC, and the Gerald T. Evans award from ACLPS.
He is continuing his research to improve assessment of cardiac and other diseases and spends an increasing amount of time in activities related to his role as Director of Clinical Pathology Programs for Pathologists Overseas, Inc., an organization dedicated to improving pathology and clinical laboratory services in developing countries.
1994 Outstanding Contributions to Clinical Chemistry
Jack H. Ladenson will receive the 43rd annual award, sponsored by Miles Inc. Diagnostics Division.
Ladenson received his B.S. from Pennsylvania State University and his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of Maryland. He then became the first postdoctoral fellow in clinical chemistry at Hartford Hospital, CT, where he worked with George N. Bowers, Jr., Robert McComb, and Robert Burnett. He joined the faculty of Washington University School of Medicine and the staff of Barnes Hospital, St. Louis, in 1972. He has remained at Washington University, where he is currently Professor of Pathology and Clinical Chemistry in Medicine and Associate Director of Clinical Laboratories and Co-Director of Clinical Chemistry at Barnes-Jewish Hospitals. In 1993, he became the first occupant of the Oree M. Carroll and Lillian B. Ladenson chair of clinical chemistry at Washington University.
Ladenson’s two primary areas of research have been the interpretation of activity measurements performed via ion-selective electrodes and the development of monoclonal antibodies for rapid, accurate detection of myocardial infarction. His work in developing monoclonal antibodies has led to the increasing use of CK-MB-specific antibodies in clinical assays and the exploration of cardiac troponin-I for the detection of myocardial damage.
Having long been active in the affairs of the AACC, Ladenson has served as a member of the Long-Range Planning Committee 1973–75 and 1982–84; chairman of the Committee on Submitted Papers at the 1981 AACC National Meeting in Kansas City; and a member of the Beckman Conference Organizing Committee in 1986. He was a member of the AACC Board of Directors 1981–83 and 1985–87, and was president of the AACC in 1986. He was director of the American Board of Clinical Chemistry, 1979 through 1987, and a member of the Executive Council of the Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists, 1985–1987. He is currently on the Board of Trustees of the Van Slyke Society.
In the mid-1970s Ladenson, with Jay McDonald and Leonard Jarett, organized the Postdoctoral Training Program in Clinical Chemistry at Washington University. This program, now the largest in the US, was founded on the concept that mandatory research training and clinical consultation is essential for the continually changing environment of clinical chemistry. Ladenson also helped to formulate strong standards for all postdoctoral clinical chemistry training programs while serving as vice-president of the Commission on Accreditation in Clinical Chemistry from 1981 through 1985.
Ladenson has served as a member of the editorial boards of Selected Methods of Clinical Chemistry, Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, and Clinical Chemistry Outlook. He served on the editorial board of Clinical Chemistry from 1979 through 1985 and was chairman of its Board of Editors 1988–93.
Ladenson received the AACC Award for Outstanding Contributions in Education in 1989, the Certificate of Honor from the New Jersey Section of the AACC in 1990, the Distinguished Scientists Award of the Clinical Ligand Assay Society in 1994, and the Manitoba Society of Clinical Chemistry Lectureship Award in 1994.
1989 Outstanding Contributions in Education
Jack H. Ladenson will receive the 19th AACC Award for Outstanding Contributions in Education. The award is sponsored by SmithKline Bio-Science Laboratories.
Dr. Ladenson was born in Philadelphia, PA. He received his B.S. degree from Pennsylvania State University and his Ph.D. degree in analytical chemistry from the University of Maryland. He then became the first postdoctoral fellow in clinical chemistry at Hartford Hospital, where he worked with Drs. George N. Bowers, Jr., Robert McComb, and Robert Burnett. After completing his postdoctoral work in 1972, he joined the faculty of Washington University School of Medicine and the staff at Barnes Hospital, St. Louis. He has remained at Washington University, where he is currently Professor of Pathology and Clinical Chemistry in Medicine and Director of Clinical Chemistry at Barnes Hospital.
Dr. Ladenson’s academic activities have led to more than 100 publications. His two primary areas of research have been the interpretation of activity measurements performed via ion-selective electrodes and the development of monoclonal antibodies for rapid, accurate detection of myocardial infarction. His work with ion-selective electrodes centers on the differences between activity and concentration measurements for sodium and potassium in patients and the clinical utility of ionized calcium measurements. His work in developing monoclonal antibodies has led to the increasing use of CK-MB-specific antibodies in clinical assays, and this work is being extended to other cardiac proteins.
Dr. Ladenson has been active in the affairs of AACC. He served as a member of the Long-Range Planning Committee, 1973–1975 and 1982–1984. He was chairman of the Committee on Submitted Papers at the 1981 national meeting in Kansas City and was a member of the Beckman Conference Organizing Committee in 1986. He was a member of the AACC Board of Directors 1981–1983 and 1985–1987, and was president of AACC in 1986. He was a director of the American Board of Clinical Chemistry from 1979 through 1985.
He has also been active in other professional societies, serving as a member of the Executive Council of the Academy of Clinical Laboratory Physicians and Scientists from 1985 through 1987. He has also been a member or chairman of various subcommittees of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards.
Much of Dr. Ladenson’s professional efforts have been directed to the education of clinical chemists. In the mid-1970s he, along with Jay McDonald and Leonard Jarett, organized the Postdoctoral Training Program in Clinical Chemistry at Washington University. This program, now the largest in the United States, was founded on the concept that mandatory vigorous research training and clinical consultation is essential to prepare individuals for the continually changing environment of clinical chemistry. The graduates of the program are 25 individuals with the Ph.D. degree and 14 with the M.D. or M.D./Ph.D. degree, all of whom are still fully productive as clinical chemists throughout the world. Dr. Ladenson also helped to formulate strong standards for all postdoctoral clinical chemistry training programs while serving as vice-president of the Commission on Accreditation in Clinical Chemistry from 1981 through 1985.
Dr. Ladenson has also worked on furthering the education of clinical chemists by his lecturing and activities with professional publications. He has been a visiting professor or lecturer throughout the United States and Europe as well as in India, Korea, and shortly, Australia. He has served as a member of the editorial boards of Selected Methods of Clinical Chemistry, Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, and Clinical Chemistry Outlook. He served on the editorial board of Clinical Chemistry from 1979 through 1985 and is the current chairman of its Board of Editors. Along with Jay McDonald, he started the Clinical Chemistry Case Conferences series in Clinical Chemistry and, as president of ADLM, arranged for the proceedings of the yearly Arnold O. Beckman Conference in Clinical Chemistry to appear annually as a special issue of Clinical Chemistry.
1986 AACC Past President’s Award
Jack H. Ladenson will be presented the AACC Past President’s Award, sponsored by American Scientific Products, Division of American Hospital Supply Corporation.