Honoring a Legacy of Stellar Leadership and Commitment to Science
“Basic scientists feel valued in our department,” said Teresa Bowman, Ph.D., associate professor of developmental and molecular biology.
E. Richard Stanley, Ph.D.
“He fights for his people,” added colleague Andreas Jenny, Ph.D.
Richard gave me the key to doing productive research,” said former research associate Xuming Dai, M.D., Ph.D., who is now an interventional cardiologist.
The object of their praise is E. Richard Stanley, Ph.D., professor and chair emeritus of developmental and molecular biology and holder of the Renée E. and Robert A. Belfer Chair in Developmental Biology, whose colleagues and mentees will honor him with well-deserved fanfare on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at a symposium titled “CSF-1: Celebrating Stanley’s Favorite Ones.” Colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1), a protein that governs cell proliferation and differentiation, has been the centerpiece of Dr. Stanley’s life work.
A native of Australia, Richard came to Einstein in 1977 after completing a Ph.D. in medical biology and postdoctoral work at the University of Melbourne, and an assistant professorship in medical biophysics at the University of Toronto. In 1987 he was appointed chair of Einstein’s department of developmental and molecular biology.
At that time, his philosophy of how to run a department was strongly influenced by his family: “My father was a departmental chair of microbiology and a good role model,” he said.
The priorities Richard established included “supporting and mentoring everyone, from students to late-career colleagues, to working with faculty to hire the best new faculty, making important decisions with strong faculty consensus, maintaining the intellectual environment, strongly supporting faculty research, exhibiting tolerance, and leading by example.” By all accounts he succeeded.
Exemplary Mentorship and Inclusivity
Xuming Dai with Richard at the 2002 ASH meeting. “It was my first time attending a major scientific conference and I received an ASH fellow scholar award,” recalled Xuming.
“My time with Richard was the most important step for my survival in the United States,” said Xuming. In 1999, he was about to return to his native China when Dr. Stanley recruited him to Einstein as a full-time research associate.
“I learned to organize projects,” he said. “We would plan 10 years in small steps.” They worked together on papers, going over each sentence. “Later Richard showed me how to respond to critical comments.”
Together the duo had 18 papers published on CSF-1 and other topics. “I still have a big binder with all those papers and NIH grants,” said Xuming.
Richard’s mentoring even applied to future that Xuming pursued after departing from Einstein. “He taught me how to design projects, carry out experiments, reach out to collaborators, and put all things together at the end.”
Xuming is an associate professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell School of medicine and an affiliated interventional cardiologist with New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital. He continues to publish research paperson both clinical and basic science topics. “I use what I learned from Richard again and again,” he said.
Richard was still chair in 2007, when he recruited Andreas as an assistant professor. His research with fruit flies seeks to better understand microautophagy, in which lysosomes engulf old proteins for recycling, Andreas recalled how Richard advised him on CV design details and framing work experience with respect to career development and promotions.
He noted Richard’s tolerance of people and work styles. “Richard holds the department together. People help each other out. Working in the department is a joy.”
Teresa agreed, adding, “He ensures that all voices are heard. He really listens.”
His inclusivity is extraordinary: Of his hundreds of publications, only a handful are single author. “I try to credit everybody,” he said.
Although Richard was no longer chair in 2013 when Teresa arrived on campus, she found him to be welcoming, “an elder statesman who helped me learn to be a faculty member.” Her studies of zebrafish explore how blood precursor stem cells form and are regenerated. “Richard would read my grants and give feedback, noting the good, bad, overly ambitious or under-ambitious,” she said. “He can be critical without being crushing.”
Built on Solid Science
From the start, “I was interested in understanding how things work,” said Richard. “In Melbourne, we purified CSF-1 from human urine, and in Toronto we purified mouse CSF-1.” At Einstein, he focused on cloning the gene for CSF-1 and characterizing the CSF-1 receptor.
He developed a procedure to label CSF-1 with retention of biological activity to establish rapid assays, to determine how it interacts with target cells, and to purify the CSF-1 receptor. When asked about the translational value of the work, he said, “I feel that in many situations, we jump the gun on trying to apply what we know about science to medicine. Understanding the basic science well is the critical first step.”
“‘Science first’ is Richard’s mantra,” noted Teresa, to which Andreas added, “Richard is an avid defender of basic research.”
That said, following up on the finding that mutations in the CSF-1 receptor led to adult onset leukoencephalopathy—a neurological disorder sometimes misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease—the Stanley group developed a mouse model for the disease and recently identified a prophylatic treatment for carriers of CSF-1 receptor mutations.
His team is now exploring an immunotherapy for Charcot Marie Tooth Disease, a group of inherited disorders that cause nerve damage, often in the arms and legs, and can lead to smaller, weaker muscles.
Providing Balance
Aye, aye, skipper! Richard on one of his sailboats with his wife and colleague Pamela Stanley
Another aspect of Richard’s leadership is his understanding that everything has its place. Life in the department is not all work and no play.
“Richard is an unbelievable storyteller—he’s had an interesting life that has taken him to many places,” said Teresa. “It's one of the reasons he's so easy to be with.”
“He’s also an avid sailor,” said Andreas, who has been among department members and other colleagues to enjoy a sail out of City Island with Richard.
“We have fun,” agreed Richard. There’s a yearly departmental party featuring skits and lots of levity, and he and his wife Pamela Stanley, Ph.D., professor of cell biology and holder of the Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Chair, also enjoy hosting visits to their vacation home north of the city.
Paying Tribute, Offering Thanks
When Liang Zhu, M.D., Ph.D., left as department chair in 2018, due to illness, Richard took the helm again as interim chair. He hopes to officially retire from his interim chair soon.
The symposium is a tribute, initiated and organized by Andreas, Teresa, and research professor Violeta Chitu, Ph.D., who has worked closely with Richard over the past 20 years. It aims to celebrate the science that Richard has loved and championed in his department, along with the cherished leadership he has provided over more than 29 years as department chair—and nearly 50 as a supportive senior colleague.
The half-day event takes place on Thursday, October 26, from 1:30 to 6 p.m., in LeFrak Auditorium (Price Center/Block Pavilion). It will feature six invited speakers who represent the many mentees, colleagues, and collaborators of Richard’s from throughout his career, and will be followed by a reception. For virtual access to the symposium, please email violeta.chitu@einsteinmed.edu.
Posted on: Monday, October 16, 2023