Salih J. Wakil PhD

Salih Jawad Wakil PhD, a renowned scientist whose contributions in the field of fatty acid synthesis established the basis of our current understanding of this vital biologic process, died on Thursday, the 11th of July 2019, in Houston. He was 91 years of age.

Born the son of a shoemaker in Karbala, Iraq in 1927, Dr. Wakil read Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” in high school, which inspired him to dedicate his life to science. His placement as one of the top five students on the national baccalaureate exam of Iraq earned him a scholarship to the American University of Beirut, where he completed his undergraduate degree in chemistry in 1948. He completed his PhD in biochemistry at the University of Washington, Seattle in 3.5 years. Dr. Wakil’s distinguished career in fatty acid metabolism truly began when he became a Research Associate at the Institute for Enzyme Research at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. There he identified the separate pathway of fatty acid synthesis, which was counter to the leading premise at the time. He subsequently discovered the two major enzymes of the pathway, Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase and Fatty Acid Synthase, and many other landmark discoveries during a scientific career spanning over 60 years.

During the 1960s, Dr. Wakil continued his work as a professor at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. In 1971, Dr. Michael E. DeBakey personally recruited him to become the Chairman of the Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Dr. Wakil founded the distinguished Verna and Marrs McLean Annual Lecture Series, which is currently in its 48th year and has hosted over 35 Nobel Laureates and other leading scientists to present their groundbreaking work to the Baylor College of Medicine community. At Baylor, he went to great efforts and took great pride in supporting the faculty, students and growing the Department of Biochemistry into one of the leading research programs in the country.

In 2010, Dr. Wakil, along with his collaborators, Dr. Motonari Uesugi and Dr. Lutfi Abu-Elheiga, founded FGH BioTech, Inc. in Houston to develop novel technology regulating fat and energy metabolism. The culmination of Dr. Wakil’s discoveries in the laboratory has great potential to yield beneficial therapies for cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. More recently, Dr. Wakil served as Chairman Emeritus of Biochemistry at Baylor College of Medicine and Chairman of the Board at FGH BioTech.

Dr. Wakil’s career achievements earned him a 1990 election into the National Academy of Sciences. Additional awards and honors include: Bristol Meyers Squib Metabolic Research Award, the Paul Lewis Award in Enzyme Chemistry (the Pfizer Award), the Distinguished Duke Alumnus Award, the Chilton Award from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, the Kuwait Prize, election to fellowship in the American Academy of Microbiology, the Supelco/American Oil Chemists’ Society Research Award, the Yamanouchi USA Foundation Award, and his personal favorite, Admiral in the State of Texas Navy.

Dr. Wakil leaves a legacy of love for his family, friends and colleagues whose lives he touched both personally and professionally. Salih and his wife, Fawzia, hosted many gatherings, opening their home to guests from around the world with gracious hospitality and warm friendship. His generosity of time, care and assistance to others has impacted many lives. He will be dearly missed.

Dr. Wakil spent his free time traveling, fishing, and exercising at the Houstonian, often ending his days with a nice glass of wine. One of his finest achievements was seeing the bestowal of medical degrees on his four children. Dr. Salih J. Wakil is survived by his wife of 66 years, Fawzia; his four children, Sonya, Aida, Adil, and Joe, their spouses; seven grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until eight o’clock in the evening on Thursday, the 18th of July, in the library and grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

At a later date, the family will gather for a private interment at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in his name be directed to Baylor College of Medicine and mailed to the Salih J. Wakil Memorial Fund for student support at the Department of Biochemistry, c/o Office of Institutional Advancement, MSC #800, P.O. Box 4976, Houston, TX 77210. Secure online gifts may be made by credit card at www.bcm.edu/giving.