https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6522-4169
This special issue of the International Journal of Radiation Biology was developed as a tribute to the late Raymond (Ray) E. Meyn, Ph.D. Nearly all of the senior authors within this special issue were in one way or the other personally touched by his wit, wisdom, and generosity. Ray’s office, as small as it was, was a revolving door of students, post-docs, and young and senior investigators seeking his advice on their research projects. We cannot think of a single instance where anyone went away without being enlightened or at least encouraged by their conversation with him. Ray’s curiosity for science was not limited to radiation biology. His office, his desk drawers, and his lab cabinets housed a curious collection of electronics and mechanical bits mysterious to us, but Ray had an interesting story about each item – how it was used and how he came to possess it. His trove of electronics filled his garage workshop as well. Ray was an eclectic mix of highly analytical, focused researcher, creative thinker, and inveterate tinkerer. His appetite for discovery is one of the things that drew us to work in his lab, collaborate on his projects and seek him out for those impromptu mentoring sessions.
Ray grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, and attended the University of Kansas, his heavily coffee-stained Jayhawks coffee cup was ever present in his office. Initially enrolled in the electrical engineering program, he switched to radiation biophysics and ultimately received his BS degree in 1965 and PhD in 1969. After a brief postdoctoral stint at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, he joined the faculty where he remained for the next 49 years and where most of us came to know him. Ray held the Ashbel Smith Professorship from 1991 to 1996 and the Kathryn O’Connor Professorship from 1997 to 2011. He was involved in graduate and medical resident education. As a member of the Graduate School of Biological Sciences (GSBS), Ray ultimately served as GSBS Faculty President and was selected for several awards including Outstanding Faculty, Outstanding Educator, and the Dean’s Teaching Award. As a faculty member at MD Anderson Ray served on various committees, however, his service as Chair ad interim of the Department of Experimental Radiation Oncology for 7 years revealed, not unexpectedly, a fair, balanced and caring individual working for the collective good of his faculty and staff.
Ray’s research career spanned nearly 50 years. His early investigations into DNA replication and cell cycle led to studies on the effects of radiation including ultraviolet, ionizing radiation, and neutron exposures on the cell cycle. From there Ray examined the effects of a number of potential chemotherapeutic agents, particularly nitrogen mustards and platinum compounds, ultimately characterizing their DNA damage induction and its subsequent repair. Ray is credited with publishing some of the very first manuscripts describing apoptosis following radiation exposure, a research program that lasted nearly 2 decades. Ray never really moved away from his program in DNA damage and repair. It evolved, ultimately centered around characterizing radiosensitizers, including demonstrating the radiosensitizing effects of Gefitinib on tumor cells. Nor was this work purely academic; Ray was committed to improving the lives of cancer patients through treatment advances. He was deeply satisfied when his pre-clinical research on molecularly targeted agents advanced to clinical studies. Retirement did not slow him down, he continued an active laboratory including renewing his RO1 grant in 2017. All told, Ray published 144 manuscripts, 20 invited articles, 36 book chapters, and 1 book.
Ray was the ever-critical thinker. His ability to ask the most pertinent, to the point question of a seminar speaker was legendary. Always asked with the best of intent, his question would go to the heart of the matter. As one might imagine, he was sought after to serve on several editorial boards and NIH study sections, he reviewed grants and programs for NASA and served as a scientific advisor for a number of organizations.
Ray is survived by his lovely wife Anne, a force in her own right, and his children William (Bill, but always referred to as Billy) and Katherine (Kathy), their families including two grandchildren, Trevor and Charlie, a sister, Elizabeth, a nephew Andrew and their families. Those of us who worked for or alongside Ray count ourselves as fortunate and aspire to live up to his legacy.
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
[email protected]
Michael M. Weil
Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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