This issue of Medicinal Research Reviews is dedicated to Professor Mathias P. Mertes on the occasion of his 75th birthday. Professor Mertes was born in Chicago on April 22, 1932. He was raised in Chicago and prepared early for a career in pharmacy, having delivered prescription drugs on his bicycle for his father's neighborhood pharmacy. He received a B.S. degree in pharmacy from the University of Illinois in 1954. Because of a keen interest in research he entered graduate school at the University of Texas, where he received an M.S. degree in medicinal chemistry with C.O. Wilson in 1956. He subsequently earned a Ph.D. degree with Ole Gisvold from the University of Minnesota in 1960. Upon completion of his Ph.D., Matt accepted a position at the University of Kansas as an assistant professor of medicinal chemistry. There he joined Ed Smissman, who had just moved to Kansas as Chair of medicinal chemistry, and who had been an undergraduate instructor of Matt's at the University of Illinois. Matt advanced rapidly in his career, reaching the rank of Professor in 1968. Together, Matt and Ed Smissman built a strong and vigorous department and established many traditions that still persist at Kansas to this day. Matt continued this legacy after Ed's death in 1974, serving as Chair of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry from 1974 to 1975. As a teacher Matt was extremely dedicated, being popular with graduate and undergraduate students alike. He won several teaching awards, including the University of Kansas EXXON Award in 1986 and the Rho Chi Teaching Award presented by students of the School of Pharmacy. Matt was also a finalist for the prestigious Honor for the Outstanding Progressive Educator (H.O.P.E.) Award, an award given annually by the University's senior class. He was also one of the pioneers in advocating and providing continuing education for practicing pharmacists in Kansas, participating with great enthusiasm in continuing education seminar trips around the state throughout the