The research world has lost an innovator, mentor, advocate, and friend. It is with great sadness that the Endocrine Society reports that John Helmer Nilson, former editor-in-chief of Molecular Endocrinology, vice president for basic science, and recipient of the 2011 Sidney H. Ingbar Award for Distinguished Service, passed away in September while on holiday in Sardinia, Italy.
Born on July 12, 1950, in Mankato, Minnesota, John spent his formative years with his family in Albuquerque, N.M. After considering a major in religion and being told that the “church wasn’t ready for him yet,” he ultimately earned his Bachelor of Science degree in zoology from the University of Tulsa. He then completed his doctorate in biology at the University of New Mexico, working with Robert O. Kelley on the regulation of adenylate cyclase by glycosaminoglycans. During this time, John became very interested in RNA and the developing field of molecular biology. Thus, he joined the laboratory of Fritz Rottman who was at the forefront of discerning mechanisms controlling RNA processing at Michigan State University. It was here that John began his long journey of innovation in the field of molecular endocrinology and the transcriptional regulation of reproduction, by first cloning the bovine prolactin gene. He also characterized the developmental patterns of prolactin and growth hormone gene expression in bovine pituitaries.
While he made tremendous contributions to science in many ways, John will be most remembered for his exceptional mentorship and sponsorship of his own trainees and others who he met along the way. He had an uncanny knack for identifying people who “just needed a chance to prove themselves” and he gave them the platform to accomplish all that they could achieve
In 1980, John started his independent academic career as an assistant professor of pharmacology at the Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine. He rapidly became a leader in his field by using state-of-the-art techniques to first clone, and then probe the transcriptional control of the gonadotropin genes. John was fearless in his approach and used all methods available to him. This included being at the forefront of using transgenic technology to interrogate gene regulation when no cell lines were available to accomplish such a task. John rapidly moved through the ranks of academia to become the John H. Hord Professor and chair of pharmacology at CWRU from 1997 to 2003 and then moved to Washington State University to become the Edward R. Meyer Distinguished Professor and director of the School of Molecular Biosciences at Washington State University.
During his research career, he remained highly productive and was sought after by many peer review panels for his insights into molecular biology and physiology and his “tough, but fair” approach. In 1998, he assumed the role of editor-in-chief of the Endocrine Society’s Molecular Endocrinology, where he transformed the journal into a working partnership between editors, reviewers, and readers that published the highest quality of science discovering the molecular basis of endocrine systems. He and his team evolved the journal by shepherding it into the digital age, designing and testing an approach that was then adopted by the companion Endocrine Society journals. In his editorial on the merging of the journal with Endocrinology, John stated that Molecular Endocrinology was “dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of scholarly science” and that he was thankful for the “opportunity and for the trust it entailed.”
Immediately after completing his term as EIC, John took on a greater role in the Society by being elected vice president for basic science in 2003 for a two-year term. Here, he was an ardent advocate for ensuring basic science inclusion in all aspects of the Endocrine Society. For his many contributions to the Society, John received the Sidney H. Ingbar Distinguished Service Award in 2011. His interests in the molecular basis of endocrinology also fostered his service to the Society for the Study of Reproduction, where he provided keen insights into its publications committee; was a member of its board of directors; and ultimately, served as its president during the 2009-2010 term.
As a result of his unwavering dedication to fostering the growth and innovative thinking of his mentees, John will always be remembered as a person who, above all, cared. He was a champion of the underdog, wordsmith, innovator, confidant, master of puns, lover of life, and, most importantly, generous and kind.
In addition to his innovation in these realms, John was ahead of his time in other arenas. As chair of his department at CWRU, he was one of the first at his school to recognize that business principles were relevant and useful in the academic setting. He worked with an organizational coach to use various established instruments in business to build integrated collaborative teams among faculty, trainees, and staff. In the classroom, he strove to diminish the complexity of feedback loops in endocrinology by relating to the everyday experiences of students, including the use of a golf club to explain the hypophyseal portal system. As the leader of the Medical Scientist Training Program at CWRU, he routinely developed extracurricular activities to break down barriers between students and faculty.
While he made tremendous contributions to science in many ways, John will be most remembered for his exceptional mentorship and sponsorship of his own trainees and others who he met along the way. He had an uncanny knack for identifying people who “just needed a chance to prove themselves” and he gave them the platform to accomplish all that they could achieve. A look at the numbers from his own laboratory tells just part of the story: More than 30 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and physician-scientists completed their training with him and were highly successful. This includes 19 professors, chairs, and vice presidents of universities; four founders, vice presidents, and directors of biotechnology/pharmaceutical companies; and two program leaders in government agencies. More than 50% of his trainees were women or from underrepresented groups. His reach also extended beyond his own laboratory to include many mentees from other departments and universities. He was always ready to listen and provide advice. He often said that “their success was his success” and he was fully committed to them.
As a result of his unwavering dedication to fostering the growth and innovative thinking of his mentees, John will always be remembered as a person who, above all, cared. He was a champion of the underdog, wordsmith, innovator, confidant, master of puns, lover of life, and, most importantly, generous and kind. One of his former trainees stated a common refrain: “I know that I would not be where I am today without John giving me the opportunity to work in his lab and his going to great lengths to make sure I had every opportunity to succeed.”
John, being ever cognizant of his role in developing scientists, then chose to retire at age 65 to ensure room for new ideas and approaches by the next generation. He moved with his wife, Mary Hunzicker-Dunn, herself a leader in the field of ovarian biology, to Taos, N.M., to begin a new adventure, continuing to learn about life, fishing, golfing, and how to navigate an Airstream across the United States. While John Nilson will be greatly missed, his trainees have learned to “pay it forward” and will continue his legacy of leadership, joy at discovering the unknown, and support of those in need.
Ruth A. Keri, PhD, staff, Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic; professor, Molecular Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Learner College of Medicine; associate director for Basic Research, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center; Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio; Joan S. Jorgensen, DVM, PhD, professor, Department of Comparative Biosciences; director, UW-Madison PREP; School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison; Helai Mohammad, PhD, vice president; head of Biology, SK Life Science Labs; King of Prussia, Pa.; and Mary Hunzicker-Dunn, PhD, professor emeritus, School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Wash.
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