The Great Lakes Center and the Buffalo State community is saddened by the death of Jagat J. Mukherjee, research scientist in the Great Lakes Center’s Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Laboratory, who died January 24.
Dr. Mukherjee earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Calcutta University, where he also earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in biochemistry. He completed postdoctoral studies at the University of Michigan in 1987. Following work in India, the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, the Cleveland Clinic, and the University of Minnesota, he joined Buffalo State in 2001.
His research focused on understanding the link between environmental pollutants and the occurrence of cancer. Specifically, Dr. Mukherjee sought to understand the underlying mechanism of tumor promotion by certain environmental contaminants. He presented regularly at conferences addressing cancer research, including those held by the American Association for Cancer Research, of which he was a member. He was also a member of the Sanskriti American Association for Cancer Research and the Hindu Cultural Association.
His work was published regularly in journals such as Chemical Research in Toxicology, Mutation Research, Carcinogenesis, and Cell Signal. He received a number of grants from various agencies, including the National Institutes of Health.
“This is very sad news,” said Alexander Karatayev, director of the Great Lakes Center. “Jagat was a very good scientist and extremely productive. He always worked very hard.”
Dr. Mukherjee is survived by his wife, Alpana Mukherjee. A viewing was held on Monday, January 27, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Pine Lawn Chapel of Mount Calvary Cemetery, 2951 Harlem Road, Cheektowaga, NY 14225. A traditional Hindu ceremony took place at 4:00 p.m. at the same location. His obituary appeared in the Buffalo News on January 26.
There will be a tribute article to Dr. Mukherjee in the spring issue of the GLC Newsletter. If you have rememberances of Dr. Mukherjee that you would like to share, please send them to the newsletter editor, Kit Hastings, by March 15.
