Elliot Postow

Elliot Postow passed away peacefully in Silver Spring, MD, on May 19, 2024. He was 83 years old. He is survived by his son and daughter, Brian and Lisa Postow, and son-in-law Bobby Hogg.
Elliot was born to Molly (nee Steinman) and Maxwell Postow on June 21, 1940, in New York City. Through his early life, his family lived in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. He grew up surrounded by loving grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins who lived nearby, in addition to his parents and his sister Betsy. He attended the Bronx High School of Science and City College of New York, and he earned a Ph.D. in Biophysics from Michigan State University. He ultimately settled in the Washington, DC area, where he spent the remainder of his life.
Following graduate school, Elliot worked in the US Navy's Office of Research and Development, with a focus on electromagnetic radiation. He then moved to the National Institutes of Health, where he oversaw the review of research grants. Upon his retirement, Elliot was the Director of the Division of Biologic Basis of Disease at NIH's Center for Scientific Review.
Elliot's leadership qualities were widely recognized in the fields of bioelectromagnetic and scientific review. He spent several years as Editor of the journal Bioelectromagnetic, edited multiple volumes of books focused on the biological effects of electromagnetic radiation, and spent a year as President of the Bioelectromagnetic Society. At NIH, Elliot served on and chaired many committees and leadership groups that helped shape the practice of grant review.
Elliot will be remembered for his keen intellect and quirky personality. Visitors to his home were met by a large and varied collection of frog figurines and other frog-related items, as well as books on subjects ranging from macroeconomics to microbiology. He enjoyed woodworking and travel and took advantage of his retirement to spend time on these activities. Shortly after retirement, Elliot was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and he dealt with the progression of the disease over the ensuing years with remarkable resilience.
A memorial service for Elliot will be held at the Riderwood Chapel in Silver Spring, MD on June 3, 2024, 10 a.m. Donations may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation to help support research on Parkinson's disease in his honor (michaeljfox.org).