Abstract
Dr William M. Busey, 79, of Vienna, Virginia, passed peacefully on August 6, 2011. Dr Busey was a founding father of modern-day practices in toxicological pathology. He was born on June 8, 1932, in Coca Sola, Panama, CZ. He attended the US Naval Academy in 1952. He received his BS from West Virginia University in 1954 and DVM from The Ohio State University in 1958. Upon graduation, Dr Busey joined a large animal practice in Franklin, Kentucky, from 1958 to 1959. In 1959, he accepted a position in Raleigh, North Carolina, to run the State Herd Health program. In 1960 he ran a swine research laboratory in Edenton, North Carolina. In 1961 he was awarded a 4-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to attend Colorado State University to obtain a master’s degree and PhD in veterinary pathology.
He began his career as a pathologist at Hazleton Laboratories, Vienna, Virginia, in 1965. In 1971, he co-founded Experimental Pathology Laboratories (EPL) in Herndon, Virginia, with Dr John Ferrell (DACVP 1963). It grew from a 2-person pathology practice to one of leading independent pathology companies in the world, celebrating its 40th year in existence earlier this year. EPL provides pathology support services to most major international pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agrochemical, and consumer product companies. In addition, EPL provides pathology services to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Toxicology Program (NTP), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). EPL has 2 main laboratories, one in Sterling, Virginia, and one in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Dr Busey was a true visionary in the field of veterinary pathology. When computers came of age, he recognized their utility in organizing all aspects of toxicological pathology from recording of pathology data to tracking all aspects of toxicological studies from start to finish and even to the storage of all residual materials from a study for efficient retrieval. In the late 1980s, Dr Busey recognized that the pathology services of EPL should be expanded from dealing with mammalian tissues to include aquatic animal species. At the time there was no commercial pathology company that had the capability of providing services for studies that were conducted with fishes or amphibians. As studies with aquatic animals evolved, EPL was prepared to provide the pathology services needed to support such studies and continues to provide such services, now with veterinary pathologists with expertise in aquatic animal pathology. Dr Busey was instrumental in designing and developing a pathology peer review approach for verifying the pathology data generated by the National Cancer Institute’s Carcinogenesis Program, later the National Toxicology Program. Pathology peer review has since been implemented by most pharmaceutical companies and other toxicology laboratories when their safety assessment data are submitted to regulatory agencies.
In addition to his scientific expertise, Dr Busey was a pioneer in the research field who understood the value of properly preserving and maintaining biomaterials and related scientific data. Recognizing this need, he co-founded EPL Pathology Archives in 1978, nearly a year before the preservation of research materials was mandated by law by the FDA. The archives have grown exponentially and today are recognized as an industry leader in providing trusted managed biorepository services and solutions worldwide in compliance with FDA’s GLP regulations.
Dr Busey was awarded the Alumni Recognition Award from The Ohio State University Veterinary Medicine Alumni Society in 2005. Following his semi-retirement, he pursued his hobby of repairing, restoring, and collecting clocks and antiques. He was a proud graduate of the School of Horology, which provided him a professional education in the art of watch and clock repair.
Survivors include his beloved wife of 54 years, 2 children, and 6 grandchildren.