It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Hartmut Derendorf, PhD, world-renowned expert in pharmacokinetics and pharmacometrics and beloved icon in the global clinical pharmacology community. Dr. Derendorf received his BS and PhD from the Univ of Münster and did his postdoctoral fellowship at the Univ of Florida. He went on to serve as faculty at the Univ of Florida Coll of Pharmacy for over three decades and as Chair of the Dept of Pharmaceutics for more than 25 years. He was among an elite group of faculty at the university to be awarded the title of Distinguished Professor.
Dr. Derendorf dedicated himself throughout his career to mentoring young scientists. He impacted over 100 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows as well as more than 400 international exchange students and visiting scientists throughout his tenure. In addition to being a brilliant scientists, excellent teacher and mentor, he had a spirit like no other in his unassuming demeanor, great enthusiasm and cheerfulness for improving the profession, which earned him great respect and many friends around the world. In recognition of these efforts, he was twice honored with the Univ of Florida Doctoral Dissertation Advisory/Mentor Award, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Mentorship in Clinical Pharmacology Award from the American College of Clinical Pharmacology® (ACCP), and the Mentor Award from the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT).
His more than 500 publications have greatly influenced the field of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of corticosteroids, analgesics and antibiotics, as well as drug interactions. His numerous awards include the Volwiler Research Achievement Award from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and the Distinguished Investigator Award from ACCP, which represent the highest research awards presented by both organizations. Dr. Derendorf also received the First Leadership Award of the International Society of Pharmacometrics (ISoP) in 2013, the Merit Medal of the Westphalian Chamber of Pharmacy in 2015 and the Barré Prize of the Univ of Montreal in 2020. He also served as the 18th Univ of Florida Distinguished Alumni Professor.
Dr. Derendorf became a Fellow of ACCP in 1988 and remained active within ACCP throughout his life. Between 1991 – 2010, he served as a Regent, then Secretary, President Elect, President and Immediate Past President and was made Honorary Regent in 2010. He contributed to the society in numerous ways, including serving as Faculty Speaker at ACCP Annual Meetings and chairing various committees. His legacy lives on through his efforts to introduce his students and postdoctoral fellows to the benefits of membership in ACCP and the extraordinary number of students from the Univ of Florida who were recognized in the ACCP Student Abstract Awards Program, plus those that received ACCP’s Tanabe Young Investigator Award. Most recently, he served as the Chair of the ACCP Public Policy Committee and Associate Editor of The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
Dr. Derendorf is survived by his wife, Dr. Kerry Estes, and sons Kevin and Karsten. Dr. Derendorf’s ACCP colleagues wish to express a most heartfelt gratitude and honor his memory for his many contributions to the society and to the global field of clinical pharmacology. His humble and kind personality will always be remembered.
