Bruce Roth

Bruce D. Roth (b. June 1954) is an American organic and medicinal chemist that trained at Iowa State University and the University of Rochester, who, at the age of 32, discovered atorvastatin, the statin-class drug sold as Lipitor that would become the largest-selling drug in pharmaceutical history (as of 2003). His honours include being named a 2008 Hero of Chemistry by the American Chemical Society, and being chosen as the Perkin Medal awardee, the highest honour given in the U.S. chemical industry, by the Society of Chemical Industry, American section in 2013.

Early life and education

Brude D. Roth was born in June 1954. He received his undergraduate degree from St. Joseph's College, Philadelphia, in 1976.^{[with whom?]} He then went to Iowa State University as a doctoral student under George Kraus, receiving his Ph.D. in organic chemistry in 1981. He then spent a year as a Postdoctoral Fellow with A.S. Kende at the University of Rochester.

Career

Roth has held a number of positions in his career, from "Scientist" (medicinal chemist) through to vice president-level positions in drug discovery, and his accomplishments in his career include the discovery of the molecule atorvastatin, which would become the drug Lipitor.