Ralph Dorfman

Ralph Isadore Dorfman, (1911 – November 19, 1985) was a Jewish American biochemist. His work on metabolism in pharmacology and the use of steroid hormones contributed to the development of the combined oral contraceptive pill.[1]

Dorfman was born in Chicago, Illinois.[2] He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois and a doctorate from the University of Chicago.[1] After teaching at several institutions, including Yale University, he became a director at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, which, during his 13-year tenure there, "became an international center for bioassays and the study of the chemistry, biochemistry, and biology of steroid hormones."[2]

While working at the Worcester Foundation, Dorfman was a research consultant to the Syntex Corporation, starting in 1950. There he helped to develop the first publicly available birth control pill.[2] In 1964, Dorfman joined Syntex full-time, eventually serving as president of Syntex Research in Palo Alto, California from 1973 to 1976.[1] Dorfman's research also focused on treatments for cancer and rheumatoid arthritis and originated the reproductive biology concept of anti-estrogens and anti-androgens.[2]

Late in his career, Dorfman returned to academia serving as a visiting professor in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology at Stanford University, 1967–1973, and finally as a consulting professor until his death. In addition to his numerous papers, Dorfman was the author or editor of 14 books and founded the journal Steroids.[3]

Dorfman died of complications of Parkinson's disease at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, California, at the age of 74.[1] His brother was Albert Dorfman,[2] and his grandson is Barnaby Dorfman.