Franklyn G. Prendergast, MD, PhD, emeritus professor at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science who was the first Black director of an NCI-designated cancer center, and a longtime member of the AACR, died October 12, 2023, at the age of 78.
Prendergast earned his medical degree from the University of the West Indies in 1968. He attended Lincoln College of the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, receiving a bachelor’s degree in 1971 and later a master’s degree in physiology. He began a residency in internal medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1971, and received a doctoral degree in biochemistry from a joint program of Mayo and the University of Minnesota in 1977.
He joined the faculty of the Department of Pharmacology at the Mayo Graduate School, now known as the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. In 1986, he was appointed professor in the Department of Pharmacology and professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Prendergast was appointed director of research at Mayo in 1989, serving until 1992. From 1995 to 2009, he served as director of the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. He was charter director of the Mayo Center for Individualized Medicine from 2006 until he retired from Mayo in 2014.
He also served in governance roles at Mayo. He was a member of the Mayo Clinic board of governors and the Mayo Foundation board of trustees from 1990 to 2009.
He was a non-executive member of the board of directors of Eli Lilly and Co. from 1995 to 2017 and served on the boards of several biotech companies.
Prendergast was a member of AACR since 1995 and belonged to the Minorities in Cancer Research group. He served as a member of the NCI Board of Scientific Advisors and the National Cancer Advisory Board.
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He was a stalwart in Medicine. He brought a different thinking to Medicine in terms of understanding and practice, through the use of basic sciences-biochemistry and physiology. Everything could be conceptualised at the molecular level.
He was at a different level, on a different plain and in the echelon of great practitioners.
A true Chancellorite ( Mona UWI ). As a graduate in biochemistry, chemistry, medicine and medical statistics, I can truly appreciate his work. A source of inspiration to many. Your work is done sir. LET THE LIONS ROAR!!!!
Prof Prendergast was an enthusiastic scientist, whose relationship with the University of the West Indies, Mona saw the growth of several Biochemistry students through fellowships at the University of Minnesota. He was kind and generous and treated us the admin staff as he would any other person. I am blessed to have known him. May his soul rest in peace, and light perpetual shine on him.
Prof Prendergast was an enthusiastic scientist, whose relationship with the University of the West Indies, Mona saw the growth of several Biochemistry students through fellowships at the University of Minnesota. He was kind and generous and treated us the admin staff as he would any other person. I am blessed to have known him. May his soul rest in peace, and light perpetual shine on him.
My First encounter with Dr. Frank Prendergast occurred at the Mayo Clinic. I recall energetic efforts to align that meeting with his calendar. The first part of our chat was a rapid fire competition about private funding organizations each of us knew and which individuals were key Decision makers. Dr. Prendergast thereupon Launched into his vision of the trajectory of Mayo research and education that would lend itself to private sector funding. I was deeply impressed and captivated by his presentation. It turned out that we had a mutually satisfying sense of our meeting and our thought process. I was occasionally surprised but always impressed and motivated by Frank Prendergast’s protean personality, expansive vision and ability to minimize obstacles. It has been my honor and privilege to know and to work over many years with Frank Prendergast, A truly unique and talented individual who taught me much about commitment to accuracy and excellence.
Not a remembrance, but a tribute to an esteemed alumni of Calabar High School in Jamaica. One by one...as they name us, Forth we go from boyhood's rule, sworn to be renown and famous for the honor of the school. Here sir!