Roy Vagelos
| Roy Vagelos | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | Pindaros Roy Vagelos October 8, 1929 Westfield |
| Fields | Biochemistry, Medicine, Pharmaceutical industry |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania (B.A.) Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons (M.D.) |
| Notable awards |
Maxwell Finland Award (1991) Prince Mahidol Award (1997) |
| Spouse | Diana Vagelos |
Pindaros Roy Vagelos, better known as P. Roy Vagelos or Roy Vagelos (born October 8, 1929 in Westfield, New Jersey), is an American physician and business executive, who was president and chief executive officer (1985) and chairman (1986) of the American pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. (known as MSD outside the U.S.). He attracted research scientists who developed many major new drugs.
Since 1995, Vagelos serves as Chairman of the Board of Regeneron pharmaceuticals.
In addition to his business accomplishments, Vagelos is the author of more than 100 scientific papers. He is also on the Board of Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and has funded three of the university's most elite undergraduate programs: The Vagelos Scholars Program in Molecular Life Sciences (MLS), The Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management (LSM) and The Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER).
Vagelos grew up during the Depression as a son of Greek immigrants. He attended Rahway High School in his hometown of Rahway, New Jersey. After winning a partial scholarship, he left his family's small restaurant in Rahway, New Jersey, to become a doctor. He majored in chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1950. Vagelos later earned an M.D. from Columbia University in 1954.
Vagelos deferred military service while in medical school, but he was obligated to serve a two-year stint as an Army doctor. As a Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons trained surgeon and biochemist, Vagelos obtained a two-year assignment as a research physician at the National Institutes of Health (1956–1966). For Vagelos, it was a fateful turning point. He was associated with Massachusetts General Hospital, Washington University and the Washington University School of Medicine (1966–1975) before joining Merck, Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories in Rahway (president 1976–1984).
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