Robert J. Wenthold, Ph.D., 61, died of renal cancer on Oct. 30, 2009, at his home in Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
Dr. Wenthold worked for much of his career since 1974 at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda.
He was made Chief of the Section of Neurochemistry in the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) in 1989 and served as Scientific Director of NIDCD’s Intramural Program from 1998-2008.
He was on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Neurochemistry from 1994-97 and served as Deputy Chief Editor from 1997-2004; he also held editorial positions in several other journals.
Bob was very well known internationally for his many landmark works in the study of glutamate receptors. In the 1990s, he published major studies on their biochemistry, distribution, and molecular biology, and is well known for producing many of the best antibodies to glutamate receptors, used now by laboratories worldwide. In the 2000s to the present, he concentrated on function and trafficking of glutamate receptors and associated proteins.
He is lauded for his great dedication to research, education, and mentorship, as well as for his integrity, professionalism, generosity, and good-humor.
Ron Petralia