HPH NOWIn Memoriam: Armen Tashjian
Armen Tashjian
Armen H. Tashjian, Jr., Professor of Toxicology, Emeritus, and former chair of the then-named Department of Molecular and Cellular Toxicology at HSPH, passed away on Friday, July 3, 2009, at a hospice center in Massachusetts at the age of 77. Tashjian was celebrated for his neuroendocrine research, contributing to a life-saving test for a pre-cancerous condition associated with inherited thyroid cancer and playing a key role in the development of two drugs for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. He also was Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Emeritus, at HMS.
Several weeks ago, Tashjian received the HSPH Faculty Emeritus Award of Merit for his significant contributions to the field of pharmacology.
In 1953, Tashjian was graduated from Yale University and earned his M.D. from HMS in 1957. After working at the NIH, he returned to HMS in 1961 and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, where he became an expert in parathyroid hormone and calcium metabolism.
Tashjian was appointed professor of toxicology at HSPH in 1978. Then-Dean Howard Hiatt tapped him to head a new Laboratory of Toxicology, and Tashjian began to enthusiastically build a cadre of molecular and cellular biologists. The lab developed into the Department of Molecular and Cellular Toxicology, which he chaired.
In later years, Tashjian was involved in the discovery of the drug raloxifene, which is used to help prevent and treat osteoporosis and, more recently, in the prevention of breast cancer. In addition, he contributed to the development of another drug that aids severe osteoporosis.
Tashjian trained more than 100 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
He is survived by his wife, Carol; daughters and sons-in-law Elizabeth and Uri Lowenstein of Salt Lake City, Amy and Donald Brown of New York City, and Victoria and Robert Kramer of DePere, Wisconsin; grandchildren Alistair, Colin, and Allegra; sister Peggy Richards; and nephews Steve Boyden and Tom Backus.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Armen H. Tashjian Research Award, HSPH Office for External Relations, 401 Park Drive, 3rd Floor East, Boston, MA 02215.
— Photo by Richard Chase
