By Hartmut Derendorf, Ph.D.
Emil Pop, Ph.D., 75, of Gainesville, Florida, an AAPS Fellow, passed away on June 25, 2015. Originally from Romania, Pop had resided in Gainesville since 1983. He graduated from the University Babes-Bolyai, Cluj-Napoca, Romania with a bachelor’s in chemistry, and received a Doctor of Science degree in organic chemistry from the Institute of Chemistry in Cluj.
Pop was a principal research scientist at the Chemical Pharmaceutical Research Institute in Cluj, where he significantly contributed to the development of the Romanian pharmaceutical industry. In the United States, he was a research fellow at the University of Florida Center for Drug Discovery, an associate director for chemical development at Pharmatec, Inc., and senior director of chemistry at Pharmos Corporation. In 1996, Pop founded Alchem Laboratories Corporation, a chemical research and development company in Alachua, Florida, and was its president and CEO. Pop was a Courtesy Professor at the University of Florida Center for Drug Discovery and an inaugural member of the Florida Center for Heterocyclic Compounds Advisory Board.
In 2013, Pop was awarded the Global Gator Award from the University of Florida. He was a member and fellow of several professional societies, including the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, and was cited in many biographical dictionaries and Who's Who publications. The author of some 285 research publications, presentations, and patents, Pop was the recipient of the Romanian Academy of Chemistry Award. He was guest editor, invited speaker, and chairman of several international congresses and symposia.
In his spare time, Pop enjoyed traveling, playing basketball, swimming, music and fine arts, spending time with his family, and having a glass of good wine.
He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Elena; his daughter, Andreea; his son-in-law, Greg; his brother, Victor; and his granddaughters, Kathryn and Julia.