Industry pays tributes to Norman Farnsworth, renowned medicinal plant researcher

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Norman R. Farnsworth, PhD, renowned pharmacognosist and internationally-respected medicinal plant research expert, has passed away at the age of 81.

Prof Farnsworth passed away on September 10 at a Chicago hospital. Tributes have been coming in for the Distinguished Professor of Pharmacognosy at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), including Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council (ABC), and Daniel Fabricant, PhD, director of the Division of Dietary Supplement Programs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"Norm was a force of nature,” ​said Blumenthal, “a man with incredible energy and profound and endless commitment to the world of medicinal plant research. There is no one like him in the profession of pharmacognosy and other fields of medicinal plant research.

"He was like a father or uncle figure to many of his 130-plus PhD students and post-docs, creating a 'family' of medicinal plant researchers who are now working in many institutions around.

“No matter how busy he was – and he carried an incredible workload not matched by many in any field of medicinal plant science – Norm would always take time to talk to students and fellow colleagues,"​ added Blumenthal.

FDA’s Dr Fabricant, a former student of Prof Farnsworth, described him as, "a straight shooter, [who] doesn't put on airs, and he's very disarming. He's easy to gravitate to because of these unique qualities."

"He's been my mentor, a hero, and a friend,”​ added Dr Fabricant.

Norman Farnsworth is survived by his devoted wife Priscilla Marston Farnsworth, his brother, Bruce, and sister-in-law, Donna, of Massachusetts, a niece and nephew, and hundreds of graduate students, PhDs, post-doctoral fellows, and close colleagues.

Please click here to read more about Prof Farnsworth contribution and his numerous achievements.

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