Frank E. Young (born August 27, 1931, died May 17, 2019) was an American physician, microbiologist, biochemist, and government official. He held several significant positions in both academia and public service.
Young received his B.A. from Union College in 1952 and his M.D. and Ph.D. in biochemistry from the State University of New York Upstate Medical University in 1956 and 1961, respectively. He served as a research associate at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 1961 to 1963.
Throughout his career, Young held various academic appointments. He was the founding director of the University of Rochester's Center for Medical Technology and served as Dean of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry from 1973 to 1984. During his time at Rochester, he was also Vice President for Health Affairs.
From 1984 to 1989, Young served as Commissioner of Food and Drugs under President Ronald Reagan. In this role, he oversaw the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and played a crucial role in the approval of the first drug to treat AIDS, AZT. He also faced challenges relating to food safety and drug regulation.
After leaving the FDA, Young served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health for Health Science and BioTechnology in the Department of Health and Human Services from 1989 to 1993.
Following his government service, Young held leadership positions in the biotechnology industry. He served as executive vice president of research and development at SmithKline Beecham (now GlaxoSmithKline) from 1993 to 1995. He was also a partner at Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young) and served on the boards of directors of several biotechnology companies.
Young was known for his contributions to the fields of microbiology, biochemistry, and public health. His research focused on bacterial physiology and genetics, particularly sporulation in Bacillus species. He published extensively in scientific journals and was a strong advocate for innovation in medical technology.