Bruce Graham came to SRI from Eastman Kodak in 1952 as a senior organic chemist. He quickly became head of the organic chemistry section and was the point man between SRI and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) when NCI was looking for chemistry laboratories to synthesize new anticancer agents. Bruce brought in Bill Baker from Southern Research Institute, and the die was cast for SRI in the field of cancer chemotherapy.
Bruce was then asked by E. Finley Carter, the SRI Executive Director at the time, to suggest a new area for SRI to develop. Bruce suggested life sciences and the Life Sciences Division was born. Bruce brought in many key people in addition to Baker to establish a good solid pharmaceutical research base—Gerald Lepage in biochemical oncology, Gus Freeman in medical science, Chozo Mitoma in biomedical research, and Mas Tanabe in pharmaceutical chemistry. These scientists made significant contributions to build the reputation of SRI as a world class pharmaceutical operation. At one point, SRI had more patents in pharmaceutical drug development than any other nonpharmaceutical company in the world.
The Life Sciences Division has seen many permutations and combinations since Bruce set it up in 1958. This is the mark of a vibrant organization that is able to adjust with the changing times and keep at the forefront of its area of expertise. It has always been high profile with respect to the world scientific community. Its continued existence at SRI is a tribute to the thoughts and planning by Bruce Graham in establishing it 40 years ago. It is worth noting that three of the key people that Bruce brought to the institute are included on the first list of the SRI Hall of Fame: Bill Baker, Gus Freeman, and Chozo Mitoma.