In Memoriam: John DeMoss, PhD
John (Jack) Alan DeMoss, PhD, chair emeritus of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB), died from complications due to cancer Sunday, May 7, 2023. He was 93.
Jack was founding chair of the department, joining the UT Medical School faculty in 1971, and served as chair until 1993, followed by his retirement in 1999. Meeting new challenges and taking risks was not new for Jack. He gave up his tenured professorship at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) to take part in building the UT Medical School and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Ten years earlier, he left his faculty position at Yale University Medical School to join the founding faculty of the Department of Biology at the newly established UCSD campus.
Jack earned his bachelor of science degree in bacteriology in 1952 from Indiana University and his doctorate in microbiology from Case Western Reserve University in 1957, followed first as a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellow and then an assistant professor at Yale University Medical School.
Starting a new medical school, especially with no permanent facilities, posed many challenges and uncertainties. The department was originally housed on the 12th floor of the Center Pavilion Hospital in rented space that had been converted into offices and laboratories. Jack chose the approach of hiring young scientists fresh off their postdoctoral positions to fill four initial faculty positions. His approach was to hire talented individuals in diverse emerging areas of biochemistry and molecular biology and provide them resources and time to develop their respective research programs while they participated in building a new medical school. As the faculty matured, their opinions and counsel were always included in departmental decisions. Most important, he did not micromanage individual faculty but provided guidance as needed. This approach to hiring within the department proved to be fruitful and remains the approach to this day. As a result, the department has developed multiple and diverse centers of excellence in support of the UTHealth Houston mission.
During his tenure as chair, the department played a leading role in Medical School development and integration within the Texas Medical Center research and teaching community. The Medical School biochemistry teaching program was developed from scratch and included small-group conferences integrated with lectures. Jack played a major role in moving from the original program structure to the current departmental structure of the Medical School. Jack initiated the push to have an exercise and gym facility at the Medical School, which fortunately is being revived. His leadership in developing programs of excellence in PhD training brought much-needed structure to the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS), as well providing additional courses for students. GSBS is stronger and highly recognized due to these changes.
Jack provided important scientific input at the national level, serving on numerous National Institutes of Health grant review committees and advisory boards, as member of the National Board of Medical Examiners for biochemistry, as president of the Association of Medical School Departments of Biochemistry, and as a member on the editorial boards of the Journal of Bacteriology and the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Jack had a long and successful research career, largely funded by extramural grants, studying nitrate reductase in Escherichia coli and tryptophan synthesis in Neurospora.
Jack’s greatest legacy is his influence and mentoring of the young faculty whose lives he touched. His first concern over his own professional interests was always the faculty and students in the department.
“I owe (Jack) much of my perspectives on doing science, on academic obligations, and on contributions to the scientific, personal, and professional communities,” wrote Harvey Herschman, PhD, former UCSD graduate student, now Distinguished Research Professor, UCLA.
George Weinstock, PhD, former member of the BMB faculty: “Of all the people I’ve worked with in that time, you were the tops as a boss and friend. I learned so much from seeing how you operated, and your personal style was a role model for me. I often asked myself, ‘what would Jack do.’”
William Dowhan, PhD, BMB professor: “Jack has been my model chair, friend, and scientific colleague for the 50 years I have known him. I am fortunate to be among his original hires for his guidance and friendship. Following him as interim chair of the department was easy. Just do as Jack would do.”
Peter Berget, PhD, former BMB faculty: “I learned how to be a member of a department under his leadership. One lesson I learned from him was that treating people with respect, dignity, and kindness was a key to a high-functioning department.”
Barbara Sanborn, PhD, BMB emeritus professor: “I feel so fortunate to have been able to visit him and let him know how much I valued him as a chairman, mentor, and friend.”
Ann-Bin Shyu, PhD, BMB emeritus professor: “Jack has been an important part of my research life, and for that I will always be grateful.”
John Putkey, PhD, BMB professor: “I was fortunate to have a succession of role models and mentors, from my graduate work with Tony Norman, to my postdoc with Tony Means, to you as my first chairman.”
Charles McHenry, PhD, former BMB faculty: “I appreciate all he did for me and especially, allowing me to have an academic career.”
Drs. Ian and Patricia Butler called Jack “a highly respected scientist and colleague. He was also a loyal friend.”
Interestingly, Sam Kaplan, PhD, chair emeritus of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics was the first PhD graduate from the Biology Department at UCSD while Jack was on the faculty. “Jack was the gold standard as an academician, whether as a student, a faculty member, or as a colleague,” Kaplan said. “At UCSD, we were a new department there with no history— similar to UTHealth when Jack first arrived. He was the one faculty member everyone turned to as a calm and solid problem-solver. He brought that same talent to UT.”
Jack was a renaissance scientist in that his interest and boundless curiosity extended behind scientific research and teaching to a patron of the arts, an Astros fan, a golfer, a chef, an outdoorsman, and world traveler. He took several sabbaticals in Paris, Zurich, and Marseille. Due to his love for Southern France, he and his wife Karen spent many summers in Marseille after retirement.
Jack is survived by his wife of 43 years, Karen Lund; sons, Gary DeMoss (wife Barbara) and Colin Sharp (wife Tammie); daughter-in-law, Teresa DeMoss; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Per Jack’s request, no service will be held. There will be a celebration of life at a later date.