Daniel L. Simmons Explained

Daniel L. Simmons is a professor of chemistry and former director of the Cancer Research Center at Brigham Young University (BYU). He was the discoverer of the COX-2 enzyme that is the target of celecoxib (Celebrex) and other COX-2 inhibitors. He and BYU felt that Pfizer had not properly credited or paid them for Simmons work in this development and brought a suit against Pfizer.

In 2014, the Cancer Research Center at Brigham Young University was renamed The Simmons Center for Cancer Research in his honor after he stepped down as director after 17 years.

Simmons has bachelor's and master's degrees from BYU. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin in 1986. From 1986-1989 he held a post-doctoral Fellowship at Harvard University.

Simmons discovered the COX-2^[1] and COX-3 enzymes.

Sources

• News: Judge orders Pfizer to pay BYU $852K for suit delays . Deseret News . October 28, 2009 . Linda . Thomson . October 29, 2009 . October 31, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091031124503/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705340277/Judge-orders-Pfizer-to-pay-BYU-852K-for-suit-delays.html . dead .
• BYU Chemistry Department bio of Simmons
• Utah Science medals awards including a short bio of Simmons

Notes and References

1. Xie WL, Chipman JG, Robertson DL, Erikson RL, Simmons DL . Expression of a mitogen-responsive gene encoding prostaglandin synthase is regulated by mRNA splicing . Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America . 88 . 7 . 2692–6 . April 1991 . 1849272 . 51304 . 10.1073/pnas.88.7.2692. free . 1991PNAS...88.2692X .