Christopher T. Walsh, a highly influential prof of chemic biology who was a erstwhile MIT module subordinate and Department of Chemistry head, died connected Jan. 10 astatine the property of 79.
At the clip of his death, Walsh was the Hamilton Kuhn Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Emeritus, astatine Harvard Medical School, but helium began his vocation successful 1972 arsenic a jointly appointed module subordinate successful the MIT departments of Chemistry and Biology. Walsh would spell connected to walk 15 years astatine MIT, and served arsenic caput of the Department of Chemistry from 1982 to 1987.
“Chris T. Walsh was a titan of chemic biology, who made groundbreaking contributions to antibiotic resistance, enzyme absorption mechanisms, and the biosynthesis of earthy products,” says Professor Troy Van Voorhis, the existent caput of the MIT Department of Chemistry. “He was a person astatine MIT during his years connected the module here, and a treasured subordinate of the chemistry assemblage successful the Greater Boston area. He volition beryllium sorely missed.”
A autochthonal of Boston, Walsh’s world vocation began astatine the Roxbury Latin School, starring him to gain his undergraduate grade from Harvard University and his PhD from The Rockefeller University. He completed postdoctoral probe astatine Brandeis University earlier opening his autarkic research, focused connected enzymes and enzyme inhibitors, with specialization successful antibiotics and the biosynthesis of different biologically and medicinally progressive earthy products, at MIT arsenic a jointly appointed module subordinate successful the departments of Chemistry and Biology.
Professor of chemistry and biology Catherine Drennan would request “a book’s worthy of space” to adequately picture what Walsh meant to her arsenic a collaborator, mentor, and friend. “We had truthful galore large conversations astir science, often successful beforehand of a graphics machine looking astatine a caller crystal operation with our students gathered astir us,” recalls Drennan. “And, beyond the nonrecreational guidance that started aboriginal successful my vocation and went past the extremity of our authoritative technological collaboration, helium was a friend. I volition ne'er hide sitting successful Au Bon Pain astatine Brigham and Women’s Hospital, having conscionable received the quality that my parent had cancer, erstwhile my compartment telephone rang. It was Chris. He had heard astir my mom’s diagnosis and wanted to spot if helium could bash anything. Whoever said ‘Never conscionable your heroes’ ne'er met Chris Walsh.”
In a 2010 reflection of his vocation published successful the Journal of Biological Chemistry, Walsh described his research “at a three-way intersection of biology, chemistry, and medicine.” His leadership, expertise, and bonzer contributions to his tract would onshore him memberships to the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Sciences, the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, and the American Philosophical Society, and would yield a fig of prestigious awards and honors, including the Eli Lilly Award successful Biological Chemistry, the Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award, and the Welch Award, which helium shared with longtime person and collaborator, Novartis Professor Emerita JoAnne Stubbe.
“Since the aboriginal 1970s, I person had the pleasance to interact with, and beryllium inspired by, this talented scientist,” says Stubbe. “I loved that helium shared with maine the challenges, and his astonishing quality to place and unravel truthful galore unexpected chemic transformations. Enterobactin biosynthetic enzymes phosphopantetheinyled! Really! I volition so, truthful miss [Walsh].”
Walsh authored much than 800 articles and 10 books, the archetypal of which, “Enzymatic Reaction Mechanisms,” was borne of Walsh’s teaching 5.50, a postgraduate people by the aforesaid sanction connected chemic mechanisms of biologic transformations. Published successful 1979, Walsh’s seventh twelvemonth arsenic a module subordinate astatine MIT, the publication retains the favoritism of being a timeless substance successful the field. “‘Enzymatic Reaction Mechanisms’ was the archetypal to use the rigorous logic of chemistry to metabolic reactions,” says Roger and Georges Firmenich Professor of Natural Products Chemistry Ronald T. Raines. “That breakthrough reasoning attracted maine arsenic an MIT undergraduate pupil (along with hundreds of others!) to enactment with [Walsh] connected the exploration and exploitation of enzymes. I person countless memories of his playful wit and americium grateful for his inspiration arsenic a remarkably nimble and prolific scientist, arsenic good arsenic his lifelong mentorship.”
Walsh’s incomparable interaction connected the tract of chemic biology is surpassed lone by his invaluable devotion to his students and mentees, including subordinate section caput and Ivan R. Cottrell Professor of Immunology Elizabeth M. Nolan, who conducted her postdoctoral probe successful Walsh’s laboratory astatine Harvard Medical School. “Chris was an bonzer scientist, educator, mentor, and person,” says Nolan. “His intellect, wisdom, and quality to spot the large representation were remarkable, and helium was a root of invaluable guidance. His multitude of contributions to chemistry, biology and beyond are simply uncountable. He volition beryllium terribly missed.”
Walsh is survived by his woman of 57 years, Diana Chapman Walsh, beingness subordinate emerita of the MIT Corporation and president emerita of Wellesley College; his daughter, Allison Kurian, prof of oncology astatine Stanford Medical School; and his beloved grandson, Sean.
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