Debbie C. Crans is a Professor of Organic, Inorganic and Biological Chemistry and of Cell and Molecular Biology at Colorado State University,[2] where she also is a Professor Laureate of the College of Natural Sciences. Crans specializes in the fundamental chemistry and biochemistry of drugs, with particular focus on vanadium and other transition metal ions as metals in medicine and investigation of their mechanisms of toxicity.[2]
Crans began her independent career as an assistant professor at Colorado State University in 1987.[8] She was promoted to associate professor in 1991, and full professor in 1998.
Crans has contributed to over 215 peer-reviewed articles. As of spring 2019, her work has been cited 7,200 times excluding self-citations making her h-index of 53. Her review paper, "The chemistry and biochemistry of vanadium and the biological activities exerted by vanadium compounds" has been cited over 900 times.[13] Her study on "Effects of vanadium complexes with organic ligands on glucose metabolism: a comparison study in diabetic rats"[14] describes the use of vanadium compounds as hypoglycemic agents, and it has been widely cited.[15]
Awards
International Awards
2019 ACS Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Inorganic Chemistry[16]
1989-1994 National Institutes of Health FIRST award[12]
Personal life
She currently resides in Northern Colorado with her husband and three daughters. One daughter is pursuing the PhD in chemistry at Northwestern University, one is an undergraduate student at Colorado State University, and one works as a financial planner.
^Crans, Debbie C (2004). "The chemistry and biochemistry of vanadium and the biological activities exerted by vanadium compounds". Chemical Reviews. 104 (2): 849–902. doi:10.1021/cr020607t. PMID14871144.
^Crans, Debbie C. (30 May 2000). "Chemistry and insulin-like properties of vanadium(IV) and vanadium(V) compounds". Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry. 80 (1–2): 123–131. doi:10.1016/s0162-0134(00)00048-9. PMID10885472.