Copyright © 2003 by Institute of Pharmacology Polish Journal of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences Pol. J. Pharmacol., 2003, 55, 127129 ISSN 1230-6002 Professor Jerzy Maj, M.D., Ph.D. (1922–2003) OBITUARY On 9 February 2003 we became irretrievably anticipated the significance and future of the then bereaved of Professor Jerzy Maj, M.D., Ph.D., developing modern psychopharmacology – he fo- Doctor Honoris Causa Mult., a member of the Pol- cused his interest and attention on this very disci- ish Academy of Sciences (PAN), an active member pline. He undertook studies that were then pioneer- of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences (PAU), ing not only in Poland but also worldwide. co-organizer and past director of the Institute of Professor J. Maj’s personal contribution to world Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences science is reflated in a great number of important in Kraków, chairman of many years’ standing of discoveries and findings in the area of pharmacol- the Institute’s Scientific Council and this journal’s ogy of neuro- and psychotropic drugs, and pharma- Advisory Board. There passed away one of the cology of various brain neurotransmitter systems. nestors of Polish pharmacology, the creator and in- Among others, Professor J. Maj propounded two disputable leader of the Polish school of neuropsy- original hypotheses about the mechanism of action chopharmacology, an untiring organizer of science of antidepressant drugs (the increased reactivity of and scientific life, an extraordinary yet modest Man. central a1-adrenergic receptors, and the elevated Professor Jerzy Maj started his scientific activi- reactivity and affinity for agonists of brain dopa- ty in 1950 as a research assistant in the Department mine D2 and D3 receptors). He described the phar- of Pharmacodynamics of the Medical Academy in macological profile of a number of classic and Kraków. At the very beginning of that career he atypical antidepressant drugs, for which he was was engaged for a short time in studying hypoten- awarded a prestigious prize by the international sive drugs and in shock pharmacology. Very soon, Anna Monika Foundation. He detected central ef- however, at the end of the fifties – having rightly fects of different types, including the psychotropic activity, of numerous ligands of serotonin and do- Professor J. Maj also rendered invaluable servi- pamine receptors, ligands of excitatory amino acid ces to the organization of research and scientific receptors, ligands of ‘sigma’ receptors, calcium life outside the Institute. In the seventies and eight- channel antagonists, monoamine oxidase and cate- ies he coordinated practically all the research in the cholo-O-methyltransferase inhibitors. field of pharmacology and medicinal chemistry of These are only a few examples of the more im- the central nervous system, carried out in Poland. portant directions of studies conducted by Profes- Numerous initiatives of his launched at that time, sor J. Maj; their results are the subject of nearly 500 e.g., spring conferences, later transformed into the publications, including ca. 260 original papers. Days of Neuropsychopharmcology (organized by Professor J. Maj’s scientific output, achieve- the Silesian colleagues), have been continued to ments and directions of studies were extensively date. Professor J. Maj was very active in different discussed in two articles published recently on the bodies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, includ- occasion of his 75th birthday and 50th anniversary ing its three committees; moreover, for two terms of scientific activity [1, 2]. of office he had chaired the Commission of Phar- His huge scientific output undoubtedly laid macology of the Committee on Physiological Sci- down a basis for his position as a scientist of ex- ences. For more than 20 years he had been a mem- tremely high repute both in Poland and worldwide. ber of the Central Commission for Scientific Titles As has already been mentioned above, he was un- and Degrees. He was a member of the Scientific disputed founder and leader of the Polish school of Councils of a few governmental institutes and insti- neuropsychopharmacology. In this discipline he tutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Professor conferred 27 doctor’s degrees and supervised 9 the- J. Maj was a charter member of the Polish Pharma- ses presented to qualify for assistant-professorship cological Society and its chairman; for several (habilitation theses). He plotted the same direction terms of office he had also held other executive for the Department of Pharmacology of the Medi- functions in it. It was mainly thanks to him that the cal Academy in Lublin, which he headed in mid- Society has established numerous international sixties, and above all for the Institute of Pharmacol- contacts (especially with the German and the Hun- ogy of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków garian Pharmacological Societies) and has intro- of which he was director for 15 years. It was at the duced a number of new forms of activity. time of his directorship (1977–1992) that the Insti- Professor J. Maj devoted his meticulous atten- tute became a leading research center in Poland, tion to the scientific periodical published by the In- which was also highly appreciated in Europe as an stitute: the Polish Journal of Pharmacology, of institution conducting studies in the field of neuro- which he was editor-in-chief for some time and and psychophamacology. The Institute of Pharma- whose Editorial Board he had chaired for the last cology owes Professor J. Maj its dynamic develop- 30 years. ment, especially as regards growing number of He had always been performing all those func- staff, the enriched methodology, and the develop- tions with exceptional involvement, launching vari- ment of wide international contacts – not easy at ous initiatives of his own and usually taking on the that time – in particular with a number of German whole burden of their implementation. partners. Frequent and numerous invitations extended to All these and many other actions performed by Professor J. Maj to take part as a lecturer or a session Professor J. Maj for the benefit of the Institute, his chairman in reputable congresses and symposia, as widely appreciated scientific achievements, as well well as to give lectures at prestigious European uni- as his unusual personality characterized by excep- versities, institutes and industrial laboratories, his tional diligence, honesty and responsibility, being participation in editorial boards of six international very demanding of his collaborators and – above scientific journals of renown, and – last but not all – of himself, his fair evaluation of people and at least – his executive duties in the International the same time very kind attitude towards them, Union of Pharmacological Societies (IUPHAR) made him win widespread praise and respect of his and the European College of Neuropsychopharma- nearest coworkers – both these more experienced cology (ECNP) testify to his great international re- and those at the start of their scientific career. nown as a scientist. 128 Pol. J. Pharmacol., 2003, 55, 127129 In recognition of the role and significance of his services in support of the Polish-German recon- achievements in Poland and abroad, numerous hon- ciliation. ors were bestowed on Professor J. Maj; he was also Professor J. Maj devoted all his industrious life awarded innumerable prizes and distinctions. Pro- to science and to diverse activities in support of sci- fessor J. Maj was a full member of the Polish Acad- ence, as well as to other forms of social activity. He emy of Sciences (PAN) and an active member of also always displayed ardent patriotism. During the the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences (PAU). 2nd World War, being a soldier of the Polish Un- The Medical Academy in Lublin and the Semmel- derground State, he fought by force of arms with weis University in Budapest conferred a title of the Nazi occupant in the ranks of the Home Army Doctor Honoris Causa on him. Professor Maj was (AK). It was then that he was wounded, the conse- also an honorary member of the Polish, Hungarian quences of which he had suffered for the rest of his and German Pharmacological Societies and of the life. German Society for Biological Psychiatry. In re- The death of Professor J. Maj is a severe and cent years he was presented an honorary diploma painful loss not only to his nearest and dearest, his of the European Union of Pharmacological Socie- friends, and the Institute of Pharmacology of the ties. Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków. We have Apart from the already mentioned Anna Monika been irrevocably bereaved of an eminent Scientist, Foundation prize, Professor J. Maj received other Man of great knowledge and experience, who was prestigious scientific awards, e.g., Poland’s Prime extremely kind and candid with other people and Minister’s prize for his entire scientific activity, the world. Many of us have lost our best Master and – several times – the prizes of the Polish Acad- and Teacher. emy of Sciences and the Ministry of Health and So- cial Welfare. Edmund Przegaliñski Among the numerous medals and signs of Jerzy Vetulani honor that Professor J. Maj was awarded, there were such as the Copernicus medal, the Knight’s, REFERENCES Officer’s and Commander’s Crosses of the Polonia Restituta order, as well as the Federal Republic of 1. Professor Jerzy Maj. On his 75th birthday. Pol. J. Germany’s Cross of Merit with ribbon. The latter Pharmacol., 1997, 49, 271–276. honor was bestowed on him by Germany’s Presi- 2. Professor Jerzy Maj – the 50th anniversary of his sci- dent as a mark of appreciation of his meritorious entific activity. Pol. J. Pharmacol., 2000, 52, 1–2. ISSN 1230-6002 129.