Albert Weissman

Albert Weissman, 79, a retired Pfizer researcher and manager who played a key role in the development of several drugs, died on July 11, after a 20-year battle with Parkinson’s disease and prostate cancer.

Born in the Bronx, N.Y., Weissman earned an A.B. in physiological psychology from New York University in 1954 and an M.S. in 1955 and a Ph.D. in 1958, both in physiological psychology, from Columbia University.

Weissman then joined Pfizer, where he remained for his entire career. For many years, he was the manager of the neurobehavioral, biochemical, and neurological testing groups during the development phases of several drugs, including the antidepressants Zoloft and Sinequan and the antipsychotic Navane. He was credited with more than 100 scientific papers. Weissman retired from Pfizer’s Central Research facility in Groton, Conn., in 1995.

Weissman, along with four Pfizer colleagues, received the 2006 ACS Award for Team Innovation, honoring their research that led to the development of Zoloft.

An accomplished chess player, Weissman won the 1953 U.S. Intercollegiate Chess Championship. Later in life, he became an avid Scrabble player and nurtured an interest in music, especially opera.

Weissman is survived by his wife, Donna, whom he married in 1976; three daughters, Julie Marto, Ellen Carenza, and Beth; two sons, James and Eric; six grandchildren; and his former wife, Elaine Levine.