William Henry Danforth

William Henry Danforth ( born April 10, 1926 in St. Louis, Missouri ) is an American doctor. Since 1999 he has been Vice - Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Chancellor Emeritus of Washington University in St. Louis. Danforth is one of the first supporters of the Ansari X Prize, which was founded in St. Louis in 1996 by the X Prize Foundation.

After completing his Bachelor's degree from Princeton University Danforth received his doctorate in 1951 from Harvard Medical School. At Barnes Hospital, he completed his medical internship and worked 1952-1954 in the U.S. Navy. He then returned to St. Louis to practice at Harvard Medical School and the St. Louis Children 's Hospital.

Danforth moved in 1957 to the Medical School of Washington University. In 1967 he became professor of internal medicine, which was raised in the meantime to the rank of a faculty. From 1965 to 1971 Danforth served as Vice Chancellor of the Medical Staff and the President of the Medical Center of Washington University. On 1 July 1971 he was appointed as the successor of Thomas H. Eliot for the 13th director of the Washington University and held this post until his retirement on 30 June 1995; He was followed by Mark S. Wrighton. He then spent four years as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Washington University.

Danforth is one of the Executive Directors of the Danforth Foundation and curator of the American Youth Foundation. He is Chairman of the Board of St. Louis Christmas Carols Association (German: Association of Christmas carolers from St. Louis). He is further vice chairman of the board of Barnes - Jewish Hospital (German: Jewish Hospital Barnes ). He is also a board member of the company Ralston Purina Company, Ralcorp and BJC Health System, all three companies have their headquarters in St. Louis.

In February 2006, the Hilltop campus of Washington University in honor of Danforth was renamed for his services to the educational institution in Danforth Campus. His wife Elizabeth died in late March 2005 at the age of 75 years to cancer. The two were married in September 1950.