Morris Oklander

United States Department of Veterans Affairs

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Morris Oklander made his mark in the field of clinical biochemistry and laboratory automation during the 1960s, a period of significant transformation in diagnostic medicine. His research focused on the development and refinement of automated procedures for measuring enzyme activity in biological materials, with a particular emphasis on acid phosphatase — an enzyme of considerable diagnostic relevance in conditions such as prostate disease and bone disorders. Oklander's most recognized contributions came through his work on adapting the Robot Chemist, an early automated analytical instrument, for the precise determination of acid phosphatase activity in serum samples. By evaluating multiple substrates, including phenylphosphate and α-naphthylphosphate, his methodologies offered laboratories greater flexibility and reproducibility in enzymatic assays. Published in 1966, his two key papers in this area have collectively garnered citations that reflect their value as technical references for researchers and clinical chemists working to standardize automated diagnostic workflows. Though modest in citation volume by modern standards, Oklander's work represents an important contribution to the early evolution of laboratory automation, helping lay the groundwork for the high-throughput clinical analyzers that define modern diagnostic laboratories today.