The Theodore Koppanyi Lectureship in Pharmacology

Dr. Theodore Koppanyi was the youngest graduate in its history when the University of Vienna granted him a Ph.D. in 1923, and he was still not thirty years old when he was appointed Chairman of Pharmacology at Georgetown.  With the vigor of perpetual youth he was one of the pioneers who took the newborn science of pharmacology and showed the world that it was not only beautiful to study, but that it held enormous promise for aiding the sick and for probing and understanding physiology and cellular biology.  During his career he participated in research that foreshadowed every branch of the modern discipline and he pioneered ideas and concepts that guide the field to this day.   In addition, his writings reflect his keen interest in - and respect for - the scientific and historical roots of pharmacology.

Theodore Koppanyi was also one of Georgetown’s most effective and loved teachers.  This lecture series was organized by his students and friends to honor him, and we in the Department of Pharmacology are, in turn, honored to be part of it.

Dr. Frank Standaert  assumed the chair in Pharmacology at Georgetown University Medical Center in 1967, at the age of 38, succeeding Dr. Theodore Koppanyi.  Over the course of the next few years he recruited much of what is presently the senior faculty of the department. 

At Georgetown University he served with distinction for 19 years as a researcher, beloved teacher and mentor.   He was well-respected by his peers in and outside of Georgetown and served as president of the American Society for Pharmacology and Therapeutics, our professional society.  In 1986, he assumed the position of EVP and Dean at the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo.  Upon learning of Frank’s plans to leave Georgetown, the faculty commissioned a life-size portrait of him, which presently hangs in our library, where his memory is always with us.   Frank Standaert made an indelible imprint on the pharmacology department, which endures to this day.

Dr. Stephen Krop's association with Georgetown University began in the 1930’s when he was working on the actions and detection of barbiturates in the brain with Dr. Theodore Koppanyi, the first Chair of Pharmacology.  After completing his studies at Georgetown he matriculated into the Pharmacology Program at Cornell University where he worked with an internationally renowned pharmacologist, the late Harry Gold.  Dr. Krop has held leadership positions in the pharmaceutical industry and in what is now the Chemical Defense Branch of the U.S. Army.  His most recent career activity was as Chief of the Drug Pharmacology Branch of the FDA, where he served until his retirement

Over the years, Dr. Krop has made significant contributions to the field of pharmacology.  He has furthered our understanding of the actions and treatment for chemical warfare agents, and he was a pioneer in the chemical detection of drugs in body tissue and the quantification of renal and gastrointestinal functions.  Dr. Krop is married to Mary Lulick and has four children: Elaine, Marianne, Paul, and Thomas.  Paul and Thomas are practicing physicians in Virginia Beach, Virginia and have been gracious in their support of this lectureship.