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Department:	Cancer Endocrinology
Research Role:	Staff Alumnus
Education:	D.Phil. (Organic Chemistry), University of Oxford, England
Birthplace:	Glousteshire, United Kingdom

Research Interests:

Although a retired scientist, Dr. Beer maintains a continuing interest in experimental cancer research. He is particularly interested in cancers of the lymphoid system, including their growth, as regulated by hormones, and treatment with chemotherapeutic agents.

Dr. Beer was associated with the late Dr. Robert L. Noble in the discovery of the chemotherapeutically active vinca alkaloids in the late fifties. As a biochemist, he was the first to isolate and crystallize "vinblastine" from the leaves of the Jamaican periwinkle plant. This alkaloid is still used in the clinical treatment of a number of cancers.

The discovery of vinblastine is considered to be a milestone in the development of cancer chemotherapy. For this accomplishment, both Dr. Noble and Dr. Beer were inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in 1997.