Profile of Martin Matzuk

Martin Matzuk, director of the Center for Drug Discovery at Baylor College of Medicine, recalls a childhood visit to the New Jersey office of orthopedic surgeon Joseph Lepree. “I was always impressed at how full his waiting room was and the time that he spent examining me and speaking with my father,” says Matzuk. “On one visit, he asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I said, ‘a doctor, just like you.’ From that point on, I knew I was going to be a physician.” Today, Matzuk is a clinical pathologist and endowed chair in Baylor’s department of pathology and immunology.Martin Matzuk. Image courtesy of Lynn Zechiedrich (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston).For nearly three decades, Matzuk’s research has focused on the critical proteins and mechanisms involved in reproductive development, leading to advancements in the treatment of infertility and reproductive cancers, such as ovarian cancer. Matzuk and his team have also begun to characterize small-molecule contraceptives targeting the male germ line, paving the way toward the creation of the first effective and nonhormonal birth control pill for men. In recognition of these and other achievements, Matzuk was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2014.Matzuk’s father, Alexander, was a senior research fellow for Merck and Company’s research development division in Rahway, New Jersey. He helped develop many drugs, including the fungicide and parasiticide thiabendazole and the antiinflammatory drug indomethacin, which remain on the …