Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology

The '''Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research''' ('''WFBR''') was a [[non-profit]] [[biomedical]] [[research institute]] based in [[Shrewsbury, Massachusetts]]. ==History== The foundation was established as an independent research center under the name '''Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology''' ('''WFEB''') in 1944 by [[Hudson Hoagland]] and [[Gregory Pincus]]. It was best known for the development of the [[combined oral contraceptive pill]] by Pincus and [[Min Chueh Chang]], an important development in modern [[birth control]], and for pioneering research on [[in vitro fertilization|''in vitro'' fertilization]] by Chang. In the 1970s, WFEB scientists undertook the first systematic study of anti-[[tumor]] effects of the anti-[[estrogen]] [[tamoxifen]] led by 2003 [[Kettering Prize]] recipient [[V. Craig Jordan]] and initial studies of [[aromatase inhibitor]]s by 2005 Kettering prize recipient [[Angela Brodie]], two important classes of drugs to treat [[breast cancer]]. ===Name change=== In 1995, the name was changed to its current name to better reflect the increased focus on medical research. The institution ran into severe financial troubles and was taken over by the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 1997. The facility at 222 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts is currently operated by the University of Massachusetts Medical School. The [[Hoagland-Pincus Conference Center]] at this site now hosts small scientific seminars, meetings, and retreats. ==External links== *[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3906690&dopt=Abstract Chang, Min Chueh, "Recollections of 40 years at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology"] on PubMed {{University of Massachusetts Medical School}} {{Massachusetts-stub}} {{coord missing|Massachusetts}}