James L Wittliff

James Lamar Wittliff (born June 15, 1938) also known as Jim Wittliff, is an American Biochemist and Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics at the University of Louisville. He was Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and Dentistry from 1976-1983. Wittliff's laboratory was designated the National Reference Facility by the National Cancer Institute for performing quality assurance surveys of receptor biomarker testing in breast cancers for cooperative clinical trial groups in the United States and Canada. of the 1st FDA approved tests for quantifying levels of estrogen and progestin receptor proteins. of primarily Eastern European heritage. He is a 6th generation Texan and direct descendant of John Cryer (Crier), who was recruited to settle Texas as part of Stephen F. Austin's original 300 families. He, his brother Bill and their mother Laura moved to Blanco when they were boys. After 2 years of studying Chemical Engineering at Texas Tech University where he was a writer for The Daily Toreador and the National Publication Headquarters for the Arnold Air Society,

Career In 1969, Wittliff was recruited to the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Rochester School of Medicine as an assistant professor to work with Thomas C. Hall, a co-founder of the sub-specialty of medical oncology, to develop the new Cancer Center. In 1975, Wittliff was promoted to Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Head on the Section on Endocrine Biochemistry in the Cancer Center. In 1976, the University of Louisville School of Medicine and Dentistry recruited Wittliff as Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry, a position he would hold until 1983. He was also actively involved in the development of the first Cancer Center there. Although Wittliff began developing assays for breast cancer that quantified estrogen and progestin receptor proteins using radio-labeled steroid ligands while at Rochester, it was in Louisville that he collaborated with New England Nuclear (NEN, later NEN/DuPont) to develop the first FDA-Approved Assay Kits for quantifying these clinically relevant biomarkers CALGB, ECOG, NCCTG, SECSG and SWOG participated in NCI-sponsored QA Surveys established by Wittliff. These QA programs were extended to the College of American Pathologists and international investigators to standardize determinations of these cancer biomarkers for routine assessment by all clinical laboratories.

Personal life He is the older of two children of Laura (née Sachtleben) Wittliff and William Albert Wittliff. Wittliff's brother William D. Wittliff was a noted American screenwriter and photographer. Various of Wittliff's and his brother's childhood experiences during World War II were depicted in the film Raggedy Man (1981). He married Theresa H. "Mitzie" Wittliff (née Hano) and had two sons. Later she also became his collaborator and business manager of the clinical and quality assurance laboratories. 1990-92 Co-Editor-in-Chief, Clinical Biochemistry 1996-97 President, International Clinical Ligand Assay Society 1998 University of Louisville Symposium honoring the career of James L. Wittliff 2001 American Association for Clinical Chemistry (Award for Outstanding Contributions to Clinical Chemistry in a Selected Area of Research) 2001 American Association for Clinical Chemistry (Hall of Fame recognition) 2004 Goldsmith Research Excellence Award, American Cancer Society, Kentucky Division 2012 The CPT Paul W. Peña Outstanding Alumni Award - San Marcos Academy, San Marcos, TX 2014 Morton K. Schwartz Award (for Significant Contributions in Cancer Research Diagnostics American Association for Clinical Chemistry) 2015–Present: Wittliff Lecture Series at San Marcos Academy honoring his career contributions 2021 John G. Tower Distinguished Alumni Award, Texas Tech University, Kappa Sigma Fraternity