Dr. Serge P. Lichtsteiner

1961 - 2019

Dr. Serge P. Lichtsteiner

May 27, 1961 – October 9, 2019

On October 9 th, 2019, beloved son, brother, husband and friend Serge Lichtsteiner passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Serge grew up in Geneva, Switzerland and started his scientific career with the obtention of a PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Geneva. Serge was recognized as one of the best PhD candidates by his mentor Prof. Ueli Schibler for his work on the biochemistry of gene expression that culminated in three publications, including two first-author Cell papers. After Geneva, Serge moved to UC Berkeley to join the laboratory of Dr. Robert Tjian, one of the leading laboratories studying the biochemistry of gene regulation. There, Serge developed the first successful in vitro system to study gene expression in the worm C. elegans. Robert Tjian remembers Serge as "not only a bold original thinker and creative iconoclast, but also a consummately friendly and collegial lab member with a balanced view of science and culture."
Serge would then thrive in the world of biotech where he spent the next 25 years in multiple companies. At Geron Corporation, a team of scientists under Serge's leadership was able to extend the lifespan of human cells. This scientific breakthrough resulted in a publication that became one of the most cited papers of that era. Serge then moved briefly to San Diego to head Pfizer's Molecular Biology group but returned to the Bay Area to Cytokinetics in 2002 to lead its Molecular and Cellular Biology group, focusing on the biology of the cytoskeleton and its applications to muscular diseases and cancer. In 2009, Serge became Vice President of Research at Kythera, an aesthetic dermatology company where he bridged pioneering academic research and business development to advance a novel treatment for hair loss.
Kythera was later acquired by Allergan, in part due the R&D pipeline set up by Serge. While still at Kythera, Serge's scientific foresight paved the way for the creation of a new company, Unity Biotechnology, focused on age-related diseases. Based on the discovery by scientists at the Mayo Clinic that the removal of senescent cells from mice could blunt multiple aspects of aging, the company now has an arthritis drug in the clinic and Serge was instrumental in shaping Unity's early scientific strategy.  
Serge had a lifelong interest and eclectic taste in music, performed as a working DJ in Switzerland or as the "music czar" of the lab where colleagues remember near-deafening upbeat metal playlists blaring from speakers. However, PhD mentor Schibler also describes him as possessing "a most amiable, empathetic and generous personality hidden under a somewhat rough shell" that was apparent once he was by himself in the lab and often switched to classical music. In Tjian's lab, Serge was known as "The "Punisher" due to his uncanny resemblance to the Marvel strong, yet somehow vulnerable character - the way many colleagues remember Serge.
Serge was known for his witty sense of humor and a penchant for fluorescent outfits that, literally, brightened the days.  As a student, he worked at a perfume firm and played practical jokes that would either delight or offend people's sense of smell. Serge also liked the occasional "shock factor" and his family remembers leftovers from a dissection study that ended up being forgotten for months and generated life again in the form of a large number of maggots.
However, his thoughtful and generous side was omnipresent in the form of carefully selected small objects and gifts selected based on some delightful idiosyncrasy he loved or admired in the recipient. Those who knew Serge and loved him found themselves at the receiving end of many such gestures of forethought and kindness. 
Always a critical thinker, Serge was a constant source of guidance and new ideas. His scientific curiosity, his friendship, and his gentleness will be missed.