Josef Fried

Who is Josef Fried?

Dr. Joseph Fried was an organic chemist, member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He held 200 patents on chemical compounds, with 43 listing him as the sole holder. He was a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Chicago. Fried discovered fluorohydrocortisone, a chemical used to treat adrenal disorders. He was also director of the organic chemistry at the Squibb Institute. His discoveries were instrumental to the creation of medications to treat inflammatory disorders including as arthritis, psoriasis, and various skin allergies. National Academies Press called him "an outstanding organic chemist who made very special contributions to the field of medicine". Professor Elias James Corey had this to say of Fried: “He was an outstanding, highly creative scientist who straddled both the worlds of pharmaceutical research and academic science. He was one of my heroes, and I’ve always thought of him as a model scientist of great character and great human warmth."