George Eisenbarth

Sorry to hear about George. I knew him from Grover Cleveland class of 65. He was the brightest guy in the class, most likely to succeed, Arista etc. Always presented a nice personality.We all knew he would do great things. I'm sure he will be sorely missed.

I graduated with George from Grover Cleveland HS in 1965. George was voted most likely to succeed, and he didn't disappoint. I haven't seen George since graduation, as I went to Southern Ct state Univ, and stayed in Connecticut. Although I haven't seen George in over 45 years, I am still saddened to hear of his passing. Stephen J Koestner

I discovered that George had died, by chance, as I Googled him (as I often do my long-lost friends).

He and I were classmates at PS 71 in Queens and shared an early interest in Medicine. I have fond memories of George, Helen and his family's candy store.

George was the smartest guy in Maspeth, Queens, and his contributions to an understandng of Juvenile Diabetes, though not predictable from an early class photo, are not at all surprising to one of his best early friends.

Oh, and he was a great fan of Rocky and Bullwinkle!

Condolences to Helen.

We are so sad to hear of Dr. Eisenbarth's passing. He cared for my son Travis at the Barbara Davis Center for many years. He was such a kind person and the only doctor my son actually looked forward to seeing. He will be missed. Pam Gibson

Dr. Eisenbarth was my neighbor Helen Shaw's dear, beloved brother. I met George only on a couple of occasions when he was visiting Helen on Long Island but the blessing of his visit helped a young man that works for our family- This young man's wife has diabetes and they were unable to have children . Dr. Eisenbarth helped them to find the right dr. and today they have a beautiful 7 year old daughter. We are most grateful each time I see little Carley Nichols I remember Dr. George Eisenbarth and this the most precious of gifts. With love and sympathy to your precious family - Judi Ancewicz and family - Greenlawn, N.Y.

Each day I reflect on the very special years my brother and I shared. I will cherish the early years.

However, the latter years are truly unforgettable. I will be forever grateful for my beloved brother's insightful wisdom and dedication to his own and my family. He has touched and helped so many through his chosen research field - Type 1 Diabetes. He was always available to listen, advise or consult with someone. He kept pressing ahead to find a prevention or cure.

My sister-in-law Frieda was at his side insuring all could be done in spite of his busy schedule. My nephew Steve and niece Stephanie and their families are a reflection of his dedication and ideals.

My brother's research will continue through the dedication of others he worked so closely with and the new paths that he has lit, will shine through them in the future.

What an accomplished gentleman. Loyal and I would have loved to have gotten to know him better. We are honored to have served you and George with your Grand County real estate needs. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.

I had the great pleasure of meeting Dr. Eisenbarth, albeit briefly, some 20 years ago. Those of us who live with Type I diabetes, as I have for most of my life, are forever indebted to him for his extraordinary research. I offer my sincerest condolences to his family at this difficult time.

I am truly saddened by Dr. Eisenbarth's passing - he was a joy to know and a tremendous inspiration to many.
During last year's JDRF Science Day presentation, he proudly displayed the insulin delivery system, that he was in part responsible for developing, and then used as a result of his cancer, which brought on diabetes 'in an unusual way', he quipped. Dr Eisenbarth was upbeat about the system and displayed a wonder that he found with many scientific advancements.
All of us involved in diabetes related research in the Denver community will truly miss George.

People like myself as a person with type 1 diabetes owe a great gratitude to your husband. Please know that we share your sense of loss right now.

What an amazing contribution he made in his lifetime. It was an honor to have known him.
Always kind and with a great smile. He was my neighbor on Oswego Street. Condolences to his family.

Dear Mrs Eisenbarth - My prayers and love go out to you and your family.Please let me know if you would like me to help you with any thing.love Anita Khaldy.

My sincerest condolences to Frieda and the Eisenbarth family. His research will be a strong foundation to end Type 1 diabetes.

The type 1 diabetes research community has lost George S. Eisenbarth, MD, PhD.
On behalf of the scientists of the Diabetes Research Institute, we express our deep sadness for the loss of George S. Eisenbarth, MD, PhD, who passed away last Tuesday as a consequence of pancreatic cancer. He was 65 years old.
The type 1 diabetes research community has clearly lost one of its most innovative and respected leaders. Dr. Eisenbarth's work during the last 40 years has spearheaded critical advances in diabetes research. He has led the field towards improved understanding of the disease causes; he has effectively applied these discoveries to strategies for disease prediction, prevention and cure. In fact, key aspects of clinical trials design and even key therapeutic goals of ongoing clinical trials derive from his contributions. Dr. Eisenbarth was well known for his focus on promoting collaboration and accelerating the pace of discovery and progress towards a cure, and to achieve these goals he provided the intellectual stimulus for many important research studies that are addressing fundamental questions about type 1 diabetes. Further, he has trained many diabetes investigators around the world, who are themselves giving key contributions to the field.
The DRI has had close ties with Dr. Eisenbarth for many years.
DRI's Deputy Director and Chairman of the Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet, Jay Skyler, MD, has been a friend and colleague of George Eisenbarth for over 40 years, since their days in training together at Duke University – George as an MD-PhD student and Jay an Endocrinology Fellow, both together in Harold Lebovitz's laboratory – and has closely collaborated with him ever since. For example, the Diabetes Prevention Trial – Type 1 (DPT-1) study, a multi-center clinical trial directed by Dr. Skyler that tested insulin as a disease specific therapy to slow disease progression in individuals at risk for type 1 diabetes, originated from animal and pilot studies conducted by Dr. Eisenbarth, who also was heavily involved in the planning of DPT-1. In Dr. Skyler's words: “George was not only a great thinker, his enthusiasm for scientific advances was manifested as child-like joy, whether it be a discovery of his own or one of his colleagues, or by anyone else that advanced the field. His openness, collegial attitude, warmth, and outright brilliance made him the perfect individual with whom to work. This was particularly manifested with those who trained under him, where he continually pushed them and facilitated their recognition and success. We shared his first clinical experiences in diabetes – at the diabetes summer camp I directed – where living 24/7 with children with type 1 diabetes gave us both an appreciation and understanding of the realities of type 1 diabetes that became an important stimulus to our efforts to eradicate the disease. All of us in the field will re-double our efforts to achieve George's principle scientific goal – prevention of type 1 diabetes.”
Alberto Pugliese, MD, Director of the DRI's Immunogenetics Program and Co-Director of the JDRF nPOD program, trained with Dr. Eisenbarth both at the Joslin and the Barbara Davis Center, before joining the DRI. Over the years, Dr. Pugliese and Eisenbarth have continued to collaborate on several projects, including studies that discovered an unsuspected role for insulin in the thymus in relation to the autoimmune process that causes type 1 diabetes, and the formation of the nPOD program, a large collaborative network that aims at advancing cure-focused research by addressing critical questions through the study of patients' tissues. As noted by Dr. Pugliese: ”There is no question that the field has lost a true giant. George was possibly the smartest man I have known. His logic was unbeatable, and yet he had an open mind; he always let data, not beliefs, decide a question. He was always fair and honest, and unselfish. As a Fellow training with him, I never had an imposition from him, only support and guidance. I will always be thankful for all he taught me. I remember, when back in 1993, towards the end of my Fellowship, he told me that I had become my own man and needed to establish my own research program; a few months later, per his recommendation, I joined the DRI in Miami. Throughout these years, we have continued to interact and collaborate. Whenever we saw each other, he would always ask that we get together, share a meal, and talk. Over the years, a true friendship developed, based on mutual respect and appreciation. He was a driven man, and until the end he was conducting what I consider some of the most promising research I am aware of; in my own reflections, his awareness that he would not live long enough to see his goals realized must have been unbearable. Despite all his physical and emotional suffering, he never once complained or expressed regrets, always finding the positive side in any situation. In the last exchange I had with him, less than two weeks prior to his passing, at a point when his general health was severely compromised, he told me not to worry about him, and that he was optimistic that my generation would see type 1 diabetes cured. The field has lost a leader and an inspiration, and I have lost great friend.”
Our thoughts go to the family, his colleagues and friends.

The Diabetes Research Institute and Foundation wish to express our most sincere condolences to the family of George S. Eisenbarth.

Robert A. Pearlman
President and CEO
Diabetes Research Institute Foundation
www.diabetesresearch.org