AUB chemistry professor elected to prestigious Lebanese Academy of Sciences

The Lebanese Academy of Sciences, known officially by its French name 'Académie des Sciences du Liban (ASL),' is a learned society founded by a governmental decree in August 2007 with the aim of contributing to the growth, invigoration, and dissemination of the sciences in Lebanon.

According to the ASL website, membership to the ASL is a merit-based high honor conferred by election. "ASL members are prominent Lebanese scientists working inside and outside of Lebanon, as well as distinguished foreign scientists," it added.

Haddadin is the first and only member in the academy who conducts his research in Lebanon.

"Being elected to the membership of the Lebanese Academy of Sciences is a distinct honor and carries with it further commitment to serve the goals of the Academy through the broader mission of AUB, both of which are dedicated to the service of Lebanon,"

said Haddadin, who is also an AUB alumnus.

"I am grateful to my chemistry colleagues at AUB, especially to my graduate students without whose important research contributions this membership would not have been possible," Haddadin added.

Haddadin also thanked Professor Samir Z. Zard of Polythechnique, France ,a former AUB student, for nominating him to the membership.

Over a prolific 50-year period, Haddadin conducted research in collaboration with remarkable researchers from AUB, the United States and Jordan. In particular, he worked with Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, Costas H. Issidorides with whom he published a series of papers initiated by a discovery of a chemical reaction they made at AUB in 1965.

Pfizer, one of the world's largest drug companies, used their chemical reaction, known in the literature as the Beirut Reaction, to make a commercial drug which it named Mecadox (Carbadox), a highly successful antibacterial agent used in animal feed.

"Professor Issidorides and I, the sole inventors of the Beirut Reaction, have some forty patents in 20 different countries, including the USA," noted Haddadin.

Moreover, he added that AUB and the US-based Research Corporation Technologies (AUB's legal representative for promotion and protection of these patents which, by agreement, assigned the patent to the Beirut Reaction to Pfizer) were the recipients of substantial royalties from the sales of the Pfizer-made Mecadox (Carbadox).

Futhermore, a potential anti-cancer drug, known as Terapazamine (TPZ), was developed by German scientists in 1975, by using the Beirut Reaction which Haddadin and his team had discovered earlier. The drug is currently in its third phase of clinical testing and has a high chance of being approved.

"The Beirut Reaction is very versatile, and thousands or more heterocyclic compounds can be prepared by it," noted Haddadin.

Haddadin has held several senior positions at AUB, including vice president of academic affairs [or provost], acting dean of health sciences, and acting president. He has been a chemistry professor at the University since 1965.