Dr. Stanley Cohen (1922- ) was a professor or Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University. His research centered on cell growth and has lead to better treatments for burn victims, cancer patients and others who have benefited from improved cell repair. After receiving the Nobel Prize in 1986, he remained at Vanderbilt working in his lab and with graduate students until his retirement in January 2000.

Dr. Cohen was born November 17, 1922 in Brooklyn, NY. He was educated at Brooklyn College (BA 1943, chemistry and zoology), Oberlin College (MA 1945, zoology), and the University of Michigan (Ph.D. 1948, biochemistry). After six years of teaching biochemistry at the University of Michigan and Colorado School of Medicine, he went to Washington University, St. Louis, first as a post-doctoral fellow and then as an Associate Professor. In 1959, he joined the faculty of the Biochemistry Department at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, engaged in teaching and research and rapidly advanced to the rank of professor. In 1986, the Board of Trust of Vanderbilt conferred on him the honor of Distinguished Professor. Stanley Cohen was the first ever to be so honored in the Medical School.

In addition to honorary degrees and special named prizes awarded from Brandeis, Columbia, Chicago and Wisconsin Universities, Stanley Cohen has received the following high honors over the years: American Cancer Society Research Professor of Biochemistry (1976); National Medal of Science (1986); Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award, Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation (1986) Nobel Prize in Medicine (1986).

For more information and pictures please see the VUMC Online Biography of Dr. Cohen or the Nobel Prize's Autobiography of Dr. Cohen .