When Tom Prisinzano thinks about Lester Mitscher, he immediately recalls a 2010 trip to Central America, teaching a short course in medicinal chemistry at the University of Panama.

On the outskirts of the country’s capital, the two were able to study the Panamanian rainforest from a unique perspective, said Prisinzano, chair on KU’s Department of Medicinal Chemistry.

“The German government had put together a crane with a bucket above the tree line of the rainforest near Panama City,” he said. “So you could view different plants at different altitudes. I was able to go up in the bucket with Les, and above the tree line we could see Panama City.”

“That’s a lasting impression I’ll have of Les,” he said.

Lester Mitscher

Mitscher, 83, a longtime professor in Kansas University’s Department of Medicinal Chemistry, died Friday after a brief struggle with cancer, Prisinzano said.

Describing him as a “gentleman scholar,” Prisinzano said Mitscher was a warm and caring man, always quick with a witty comment.

“Les was an incredibly intelligent person. He was very well read and had interests in all sorts of topics,” he said. “But he would never come across in a demeaning manner. He was always polite.”

Specializing in the search for new antimicrobial agents, Mitscher was renowned for his work developing both tetracycline- and quinolone-based agents, Kansas University said in a release. Among his many contributions, he is known for isolating novel antioxidants from green tea.

Joining KU faculty in 1975, Mitscher served as chairman of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry for 16 years. He co-authored or edited six books and was the senior author of nearly 250 scientific papers.

Prisinzano said the loss of Mitscher is an unfortunate blow to the school and the department will need to work hard to fill the void.

“He was very well read and very well respected,” Prisinzano said. “And we will miss him dearly.”

A visitation for Mitscher will take place at Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home, 601 Indiana St., Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m.. Services will be held Friday at Plymouth Congregational Church, 925 Vermont St., at 3 p.m.