Although I have been an officer in both the Mechanisms and Drug Discovery Toxicology (DDTSS) Specialty Sections, both of which played a significant role in the life of Lois Lehman-McKeeman, I had never really thought about the lives of the toxicologists who have their names attached to SOT awards until I started writing this article. Emil Pfitzer, Carl Smith, Sheldon Murphy, to name a few … clearly these talented toxicologists gave back to their profession and had meaningful contributions to science and were well-recognized by their peers. But Lois is different. I KNOW Lois! In fact, many of us know Lois, and she has impacted many lives of toxicologists directly and indirectly. So rather than share all her accolades (which she probably would hate), I thought I would just share one small personal cross-thread of the tapestry of the “Life of Lois.”
Lois Leeman-McKeeman presenting during
the 2022 SOT Undergraduate Education Program
Let’s start at the beginning. At the University of Kansas Medical Center, on the top floor of the old Breidenthal building, there were rows and rows of 8x11 portraits that stretched across decades. The first rule of the Curt Klaassen Lab was that the faces and names on these photos should be memorized; these were our family and professional network. There was no LinkedIn back in those days ... and yes, it required a little extrapolation from student day photos. It was an expectation that when you see these folks at meetings to introduce yourself and do more listening than talking. Lois looked different in real life (sans 70s style glasses) when I first met her, but her reputation as a scientific powerhouse and a leader of other scientists was already established well before she was SOT President. Lois stood across the world of toxicology and could not be defined by her career—she is a multiplier and could navigate and communicate across a wide variety of scientific disciplines. Her record for articulating and supporting good science has made her successful across the branches of toxicology.
As a young investigator, the workplace that Lois entered was quite different than the current iteration. I always thought that these experiences were like folding steel, creating a personality and rigor that drove these leadership qualities. However, Lois looks in her element when mentoring—many toxicologists’ careers have benefited from her unselfish giving of her time. Coming full circle to the new McKeeman Early Career Award in Mechanistic Toxicology (MECA), there has never been a young investigator award from either the Mechanisms Specialty Section or DDTSS. This award celebrates a toxicologist within the first 10 years of receiving their professional (MS and/or PhD) currently residing in an academic, government, or industry position. The spirit of the award acknowledges the need for scientists with a strong basis in mechanistic toxicology, which also plays a key role in drug discovery. Currently, the funds have been achieved to initiate fundraising to reach the $50,000 threshold to begin award implementation. To ensure rapid success, we are enlisting your help to spread the word and donations—this is a fabulous opportunity to give back and support the future of toxicology. It would be fitting to see a diverse list of donors from friends, colleagues, and mentees to recognize Lois’s career as well as the next generation of leaders.
If you would like to contribute to the MECA fund, please use this “Donate Online” link and select the “McKeeman Early Career Award in Mechanistic Toxicology Endowment Fund.”
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