Mohammad Salman Hamdani, known as Sal, worked in our group from 1998-2001, and synthesized a number of new N-sulfonyl phosphorus compounds. He worked part-time as an ambulance driver and as a NYC police cadet, and graduated from Queens College in June, 2001, when he took a job at an HHMI lab at Rockefeller University.

Sal's first paper was published in 2004 (there may be one more):
Hersh, W. H.; Xu, P.; Simpson, C. K.; Grob, J.; Bickford, B.; Hamdani, M. S.; Wood, T.; Rheingold,  A. L. "Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Trivalent Amino Acid Derived Chiral Phosphorus Compounds," J. Org. Chem. 2004, 69, 2153-2163.


Sal (right) with Eli Ron in the lab, Summer 1998.

Sal was last seen leaving home to go to work on September 11, 2001 and would have been able to see the World Trade Center attack. When he did not return home that day, everyone who knew Sal presumed he went there to help, and finally his body was recovered in March, 2002 near the North tower.  Sal's funeral was attended by hundreds of New York City police cadets, Mayor Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Kelly, Congressman Ackerman, and many others.  Sal is greatly missed by all who knew him. To read more about this American hero, see articles at the following web sites:

U.S. Department of State

Baltimore Sun