Dr. Woodring Erik Wright, Professor of Cell Biology, passionate educator, and scientific trailblazer in the fight against aging and cancer, died on Aug. 2. He was 70.

A faculty member since 1978, Dr. Wright dedicated decades of research to studying the relationships between aging and cancer and focused on the role of the end caps of chromosomal DNA, called telomeres, in these processes.

Together with longtime collaborator Dr. Jerry Shay, Dr. Wright explored molecular mechanisms that regulate telomere shortening and telomerase activity. The laboratory partners leveraged these mechanistic insights into studies on how telomere shortening contributes to human aging and pursued a variety of approaches to transform their insights to develop treatments for cancer and age-related diseases.

“Woody and I collaborated for over 30 years and published many highly cited papers together. His two most cited papers were both published in Science (1994 and 1998) and have been referred to by other authors 5,700 and 3,450 times, respectively,” said Dr. Shay, Professor of Cell Biology. “Woody was exceptionally good at developing new methods and coming up with insightful ideas on how to advance a project. We worked well together and complemented each other’s strengths. He will be missed by me and all his former students and postdoctoral trainees.”

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