Karen Seibert
Karen Seibert (c.1959 – November 9, 2020) was an American pharmacological scientist, instrumental in the elaboration of the COX-2 inflammatory pathway and in the discovery of inhibitors of COX-2, such as celecoxib (Celebrex), used to relieve pain and treat arthritis. At the time of her death from cancer on 9 November 2020 aged 61, she was Professor of Anesthesiology, Pathology and Immunology, and Genetics, and Executive Director of the Center for Clinical Pharmacology in the Department of Physiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis MO. Education and professional career. Seibert received her undergraduate degree in Biology  from Northwestern University before she got her Master's of Science in pharmacology from the University of Toledo. In 1987, she earned her Ph. D. from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Following a postdoctoral research fellowship at Washington University, Siebert started a 20-year research career in the pharmaceutical industry, starting in 1991 at the Monsanto Company pharmaceutical division which became part of Pharmacia before becoming part of Pfizer, Inc. Seibert moved up the ranks to Vice President of Research at the Pfizer St. Louis research facility, supervising over 300 scientists in her line. In 2010, Seibert returned to Washington  University as an academic, becoming Professor of Anesthesiology, Pathology and Immunology, and Genetics as well as the Executive Director of the Center for Clinical Pharmacology in the Department of Physiology, a formal collaboration between Washington University and St Louis College of Pharmacy. She also served as the Associate Director of Shared Resources for the Siteman Comprehensive Cancer Center. Scientific contributions. Siebert published scientific research across a wide span of disciplines, including pain, inflammation and cancer research, focusing on understanding the mechanisms for possible therapeutic interventions and diagnostics. Building off her doctoral and postdoctoral research efforts in elucidating the distinctions of  COX-1 from COX 2, Seibert became one of the key scientists in developing the novel class of COX-2 specific inhibitors, a class of pain relievers and anti-inflammatories designed to avoid the intestinal issues associated with NSAIDS such as aspirin, which inhibit both COX-1 and COX-2. This work led to the discovery of the pain reliever celecoxib (marketed as Celebrex) for the treatment of pain and arthritis. In her subsequent academic career at Washington University, Seibert published evidence for anticancer activity for celecoxib. She also developed and led the Genomics and Pathology Services (GPS) at WUSM, where genomic-based clinical  tests were developed for use in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cancer and other diseases. Awards and recognition. In 2000, the Monsanto Company recognized Seibert's important contributions to the discovery of celecoxib by awarding her the Edgar Queeny Prize for Excellence in Science and Technology. The pharmaceutical industry (PhRMA) recognized her research and discovery efforts with their Discoverer's Award in 2002. Her drug discovery research led to her selection as a "St. Louis Healthcare Hero" in 2008 and being awarded the Outstanding Scientific Leadership Award from the St Louis Academy of Science in 2013. Publications. Representative  articles from nearly 100 peer reviewed publications: