KATHRYN ANDERSON

ANDERSON--Kathryn V. The Memorial Sloan Ketter-ing Cancer Center (MSK) community mourns the loss of our esteemed colleague Kathryn Anderson. A brilliant geneticist, Dr. Anderson identified critical genes that control the development of the embryo, first in invertebrates (fruit flies) and subsequently in the mammal (mouse). Her landmark discoveries led to a new understanding of cell fate decisions in the early embryo, the nervous system, and the immune system. At MSK, she is known for pioneering the use of forward genetics, which she had used in the fruit fly, in the study of mouse development. In 2003, using forward genetics, Dr. Anderson's lab discovered a previously unknown role for cilia in receiving signals from a protein called Hedgehog. Dr. Anderson arrived at MSK in 1996 as a member of the Sloan Kettering Institute's Molecular Biology Program. In 2002, she was appointed Chair of the newly established Developmental Biology Program, which under her leadership has become not only one of the strongest programs of its kind in the nation but a model for gender diversity in the sciences. Dr. Anderson's accomplishments have been recognized by various awards, including the Genetics Society of America's 2012 Thomas Hunt Morgan Medal for lifetime contributions to the science of genetics; the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology's 2014 Excellence in Science Award for outstanding achievements by a woman in biology; and the Society for Developmental Biology's 2016 Edwin G. Conklin Medal for distinguished and sustained research in the field. She also held the Enid A. Haupt Chair in Developmental Biology at MSK and was a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine. We will miss her leadership, insight, and passion for her work. Deeply principled and with a penetrating intelligence, she was a pivotal figure in her field, a generous and kind mentor to countless younger scientists, and a friend to everyone who had the good fortune to work with her. We extend our deepest condolences to her friends and family, as well as her current and former laboratory members and the many colleagues whose lives she touched. Craig B. Thompson, President and CEO; Joan Massague, Director, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center