In Memoriam: Kenneth R. Warren, PhD
With great sadness, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) shares the news that Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D., passed away on August 21, 2024. Dr. Warren was a foremost research expert on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). He was appointed NIAAA Deputy Director in 2008 and also served as NIAAA Acting Director from 2008 to 2014. Following 41 years of Federal service, Dr. Warren retired in 2015, after which he continued to serve as a Special Advisor to the NIAAA Director until 2018.
“Ken Warren was an esteemed scientist who made significant contributions to studies exploring the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure,” said NIAAA Director George F. Koob, Ph.D. “More than that, Ken is fondly remembered for his kind collegiality and tireless dedication to NIAAA’s mission. He was a generous mentor and a dear friend to many of us in the alcohol research community. We, at NIAAA, will miss Ken very much and offer sincere condolences to his family and friends.”
Following his graduate and postdoctoral training in biochemistry, Dr. Warren joined the Walter Reed Army Institute for Research where he focused on metabolic control mechanisms, including birth defects involving metabolic problems. In 1976, Dr. Warren joined NIAAA, where he turned his attention to seminal reports about a newly described condition known then as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Recognizing its public health ramifications, Dr. Warren championed NIAAA’s support for FAS research. In 1977, he authored the first U.S. Government health advisory on alcohol and pregnancy, and in 1981, he was the chief architect of the Surgeon General’s Advisory on Alcohol Use in Pregnancy—the advisory that brought about the now-familiar warning labels on alcohol beverage containers. In recognition of his critical role, Dr. Warren received the Public Health Service’s Superior Service Award in 1982. He also helped to develop the updated advisory issued in 2005.
During his NIAAA career, Dr. Warren held many leadership roles. He was also instrumental in launching and implementing the Collaborative Research on Addiction at NIH, or CRAN. Dr. Warren received many honors for his achievements, including the Seixas Award from the Research Society on Alcohol (RSA), the Henry Rosett Award from RSA’s Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Study Group, and the RSA Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, Dr. Warren was inducted into the Tom and Linda Daschle Hall of Fame by FASD United (formerly the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, or NOFAS) and received the NOFAS Excellence Award.