It is with immense sorrow that Rhodes University mourns the passing of Dr Gordon Mitchell Cragg, a towering figure in the field of natural products and drug discovery and recipient of the University's highest honour, an Honorary Doctorate. His contributions profoundly enriched the scientific landscape, and his loss is deeply felt by the global community he served.
Born in Cape Town, South Africa, on 4 September 1936, Dr Cragg’s life was a testament to dedication, scholarship, and service. He earned a first-class BSc Honours degree in Chemistry from Rhodes University in 1956. He further distinguished himself by earning a DPhil in Organic Chemistry from Oxford University in 1963 and completed two years of postdoctoral research at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). It was at UCLA that he met his future wife, Jacqueline Tuers.
Dr Cragg’s career was marked by a series of pioneering achievements. He began his career in South Africa with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) before joining the University of South Africa and later the University of Cape Town. In 1979, he moved to the United States to join the Cancer Research Institute at Arizona State University. In 1985, he joined the National Cancer Institute (NCI), where he was appointed Chief of the Natural Products Branch in 1989.
Dr Cragg’s major interests were the discovery of new natural product agents for the treatment of cancer and AIDS, with a focus on international collaboration. His leadership was instrumental in the development of the anticancer drug, Taxol, leading to its FDA approval in 1992. For this and other contributions, he received multiple NIH Merit Awards.
Even after retiring in 2004, Dr Cragg continued to serve as a Special Volunteer for the NCI until 2022. His immense contributions were recognised with numerous accolades, including his election as President and later Honorary Member of the American Society of Pharmacognosy. In 2006, he was awarded the William L. Brown Award for Plant Genetic Resources, and a new plant from Madagascar, Ludia craggiana, was named in his honour. In 2010, Rhodes University bestowed upon him an honorary Doctor of Science.
Dr Cragg was unfailingly kind to his colleagues and a tireless advocate for the preservation of natural resources, which he saw as a vital source for future healthcare. His work will live on through his extensive publications, his pioneering role in natural product drug discovery, and the countless lives he touched as a researcher and diplomat.
Dr Gordon Mitchell Cragg passed away on 25 August 2025, at the age of 88. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all who were touched by his remarkable life. He will be profoundly missed but never forgotten.