July 26, 2010

Death of a Colleague

Dear Colleagues,

It is with deep shock and sadness that we write to report the stabbing death Sunday night in Baltimore of research technologist Stephen B. Pitcairn, a valued young member of Gregg Semenza’s breast cancer research laboratory at the school of medicine’s Institute for Cell Engineering. This is a tragedy for his family, his friends, his colleagues, for our institution and for science, and we know you join us in extending the sincerest condolences to his loved ones and all who knew him.

Mr. Pitcairn, who would have turned 24 this week, applied to Gregg’s lab during his senior year at Kalamazoo College, where his record was so impressive that he obtained personal recommendations from both his college president and former Johns Hopkins University President Bill Richardson. He joined Johns Hopkins on June 29, 2009, as a lab technician and was promoted just a year later to the position of research technologist.

By all accounts, he had a remarkably promising career in medicine and was in the process of applying to medical school for admission next year, with the full support of members of our faculty.

In a statement issued earlier today, Gregg called Mr. Pitcairn “a dedicated member of the team” in his laboratory and someone who “you knew … was going to do great things.”

Our hope now is for the arrest and conviction of those responsible for this terrible crime. Meanwhile our thoughts of comfort go out to his family.

Sincerely,

Ronald J. Daniels
President
The Johns Hopkins University

Edward D. Miller, M.D.
Dean of the Medical Faculty
CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine