The EH Ahrens Award

The principal award of the Association for Patient-Oriented Research (APOR) was named for Edward H. Ahrens, Jr. This was decided at an afternoon meeting of the APOR Board in Chicago on January 18, 2000. "Pete" Ahrens, as he was known by his many colleagues, students and friends was pleased to be so honored.

The first Ahrens lecture was given by Sir Keith Peters, Regius Professor of Physic, at Cambridge University. His presentation in Peter's honor was given at the banquet of the Second Annual APOR Meeting in Arlington, Virginia, Sunday evening March 12, 2000. Pete died later that year (March 9, 2000) bringing to an end a distinguished career in clinical research.

Pete's career began at The Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research studying biliary cirrhosis. He was intrigued by the lipid abnormalities in his patients and began a detailed analysis of factors that influence serum lipids. He used liquid formulas for control of diets to make precise analyses of the lipid changes that result form alterations in food intake. His description of these changes led to a series of classic publications of clinical investigation, as did his further studies on sterol balance. His work provided central data for the diet - lipid - atherosclerosis links in humans.

Throughout his productive research career he was a vigorous, articulate spokesman for the importance of research with patients. These ideas were fully described in his book "The Crisis in Clinical Research", published in 1992. Chapters in the book carefully defined the types of research with her termed "patient oriented". It might have been "patient derived" or "patient associated" research, but Pete wrote in behalf of the type of research to which our organization is devoted and popularized the name "patient oriented research". His scientific work and his devotion to clinical research are described in the Journal of Lipid Research (2001), a publication which he was instrumental in founding. His analysis of the nature and importance of clinical research is wonderfully described in his book which is well worth studying as we plan the future course and activities of APOR.

REFERENCES

Ahrens, EH, Jr. 1992. The Crisis in Clinical Research. Overcoming Institutional Obstacles. New York: Oxford University Press.

Hirsch, J. 2001. A Tribute to Pete Ahrens. J. Lipid. Research 42:891-893.