Brett Lindenbach

Brett Lindenbach, 55, died on December 16, 2023 after enduring glioblastoma and its treatments (both standard and investigational) for 20 months. He was a loving husband, father, son, and brother and an eminent scientist.

Born June 4, 1968 in Colorado Springs, CO, Brett grew up in the Chicago suburbs. He earned a BS in biology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and then a PhD in immunology from Washington University in St Louis. He completed post-doctoral work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and The Rockefeller University.

In 2006, Brett joined the faculty of the Yale School of Medicine's Department of Microbial Pathogenesis. He and his lab studied positive-strand RNA viruses and made key contributions to the body of knowledge on important human pathogens, including hepatitis C virus, Zika virus, and SARS-CoV-2 virus. Brett had a gift for approaching cutting-edge science with cleverness, creativity, and command, as well as conveying his research in an approachable manner, often explaining it as "I take viruses apart and put them back together again to see how they work."

Brett enjoyed cycling, doing the New York Times crossword puzzle (in pen), and grilling for friends and family in his Big Green Egg. He had a deep sense of curiosity and a wide-ranging appetite for music and was a connoisseur of hot sauces. A recipient of the Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance's June Rice Courage Award in 2022, Brett will be remembered for his persistence and humor in facing the challenges of brain cancer.

Brett is survived by his wife, Joanna Bloom, his daughters, Molly and Claire, his mother, Laurel Lindenbach, and his sisters, Kristen Diamond, Lauren Lindenbach, and Lindsay Lindenbach.

The family thanks their community of friends and family, Brett's medical teams, and the staff of the Connecticut Hospice. In lieu of flowers and to honor Brett's memory, donations may be made to his daughters' "Lemon-Aid" Stand supporting the National Brain Tumor Society (https://nbtsevents.braintumor.org/fundraiser/3946155 ) or to the Brett Lindenbach Virology Fund at Yale (https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/the-brett-lindenbach-virology-fund/).