April 2, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, AL — David Graves, Ph.D., has been appointed chair of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Department of Chemistry in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. He joins the department May 1. Graves succeeds Professor Larry Krannich, Ph.D., who is retiring. Krannich has been chair of the department since 1976.
Graves, a native of Birmingham, earned his bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. in chemistry from UAB in 1974 and 1979, respectively. He currently is professor of chemistry and biochemistry, director of the forensic chemistry program and Distinguished Faculty Fellow of Liberal Arts at the University of Mississippi.
“I never intended to leave Ole Miss,” Graves said. “But I was so impressed by the opportunities at UAB — both research and educational — that I couldn’t pass this up. This is the best chemistry department in the state and it has considerable growth potential in drug design, structural biochemistry and bioenergetics, which are generating considerable interest in the biomedical arena now and are some of the strong points that drew me back home.”
Graves said another dealmaker for taking the helm of the chemistry department at his alma mater are the opportunities for collaboration with researchers in the various medical-related departments across the UAB campus.
“This is one of the best medical centers in the country, and there are many prospects for collaborative work in addition to the interdisciplinary work currently underway between the department of chemistry and departments within the medical school. I am anxious to facilitate the growth of chemistry into research areas that are synergistic with the strategic plan for UAB.”
“We are very fortunate to have Dr. David Graves as our new chairman of the department of chemistry,” said James McClintock, Ph.D., dean of the UAB School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. “He brings to the position an outstanding research reputation, a strong commitment to quality teaching and a strong history of service to his students and colleagues.”
Graves research interests include biophysical studies of nucleic acids and design and development of compounds that target DNA and act as anti-cancer agents. He has had continuous federal funding for the last 19 years for his work with the structural and energetic properties of ligand-DNA interactions and the mechanisms of action of anticancer agents. Most of this work has involved developing drugs that interact with DNA or proteins to treat diseases such as cancer.
Graves is a member of the U.S. Army Breast Cancer Research Panel, the National Science Foundation Molecular Biophysics Study Panel, the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Review Panel and the National Institutes of Health Study Section Genetic Sciences. He also is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Chemical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, American Association for Cancer Research and Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society.
Graves is associate editor of the journal Current Medicinal Chemistry: Anti-cancer Agents and is a regular reviewer for numerous professional journals, including Journal of the American Chemical Society, Biochemistry, Nucleic Acids Research, Biophysical Chemistry, Cancer Research and the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
In addition to his academic work at UAB, he held a National Cancer Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship in the laboratory of Professor Thomas R. Krugh at the University of Rochester from 1981 to 1984 before beginning his career in the department of chemistry at the University of Mississippi.