In Memoriam: Susan Lee Lindquist, 1949-2016

Susan Lindquist, a leading scientist in the study of prions, died late last month in Boston. She was 67 years old and had suffered from cancer.

Dr. Lindquist’s research on yeast proteins revealed that genetic changes could occur and be passed down to future generations without altering RNA or DNA. The research had practical applications in the understanding of degenerative diseases and how they may be treated.

Dr. Lindquist was a graduate of the University of Illinois where she majored in microbiology. She earned a Ph.D. in biology from Harvard University.

Professor Lindquist served on the faculty at the University of Chicago for 23 years. In 2001, she became a professor of biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was named director of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, one of the world’s leading institutions in biomedical and genetic research. In 2004, she resigned as director of the institute to concentrate on research.

Professor Lindquist was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the American Philosophical Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.