In Memoriam

Dean J. Danner, Ph.D.

Dean Danner, Ph.D., Professor and Vice Chair of Human Genetics, died on January 2, 2007 at his home in Decatur, Georgia after a long-term, serious illness.  Dr. Danner began his faculty appointment at Emory in 1973 and earned a reputation as an engaged citizen of the University; exemplary and well loved and respected teacher of graduate and medical students and fellows; and distinguished scientist.  He held a secondary appointment as a Professor of Pediatrics and Professor of Biochemistry.  At the University level, Dr. Danner served on numerous committees, including for several years as the Chair of the University Research Committee.  His research focused on maple syrup urine disease, a disorder of impaired branched chain amino acid catabolism.  Dr. Danner was a member of a number of national study sections evaluating grant proposals and was a member of the American Society of Human Genetics, American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and the Society for Inherited Metabolic Disorders.  Of particular importance in the area of service to the School of Medicine, Dr. Danner was unique among faculty in accepting and serving with distinction as the Interim Chair of two basic science departments – Human Genetics until its Chair was appointed, and then Biochemistry for five years until the appointment of the new chair in Spring 2006.  He was an active and respected member of the Council of Chairs during these terms.

"It is impossible for any one person to describe the tremendous contribution Dr. Dean Danner made toward the general scientific community and in particular to Emory University. Often it appeared that everyone at Emory knew Dean either from his scientific accomplishments, teaching efforts or prowess on the squash court. During his 30+ year tenure at Emory, Dean progressed through the academic ranks from Assistant Professor of Pediatrics to full Professor of Genetics and Biochemistry. He also held the reigns as Chairman of two independent Basic Science Departments, that of Genetics and Biochemistry. Dean played an important role in the original Department of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, which under his guidance was transformed into the now highly regarded Department of Human Genetics. During this time, Dean also made a major contribution to the restructuring of the Department of Biochemistry and the scientific curriculum of Emory’s Medical School.   

Dean’s laboratory research efforts centered around a devastating metabolic disease termed Maple Syrup Urine Disease, often abbreviated as MSUD. If not diagnosed at birth and treated with a strictly regulated diet, MSUD results in death within the first months to years of life due to an inability to properly metabolize dietary protein.  Dean’s first scientific publication in 1968, described the isolation, purification and characterization of the protein complex that is defective in persons with MSUD. Over the subsequent 39 years, Dean continued to study these proteins and the genes that encode them publishing his data in highly regarded scientific journals including a publication in the premiere journal Nature. Over the years, Dean’s laboratory characterized many of the genetic mutations that cause MSUD and explained how the enzyme complex that is dysfunctional in MSUD is regulated in unaffected individuals to maintain health. As the result of Dean’s work, we now have a nearly complete understanding of one of the critical metabolic processes that our bodies must perform every second to maintain a healthy state. Dean was regarded as a leading world authority on MSUD and the related aspects of protein metabolism. Frequently, he was contacted by families affected by MSUD and he always took the time to respond to their queries no matter how simple or complex they were. Dean also demonstrated a dedication to this population by participating in annual conferences where he explained his latest research regarding MSUD to families affected by MSUD.

Aside from Dean’s scientific prowess and dedication, Dean also made an extraordinary contribution to the training of future, and now currently practicing, scientists and clinicians. Many students received Ph.D.s under Dean’s direct supervision and he served on the Ph.D. committees of dozens more. Using a sports analogy, which is appropriate since Dean was an avid sports fan, Dean would be considered a players (or in this case, students) coach. He had close relationships with all of his students most of which continued on throughout his life. Dean constantly defended the rights of students while at the same time expecting from them 110% effort in their research. It was Dean’s excitement for research that helped motivate new students that typically were completely naïve to MSUD. Dean was constantly in the laboratory even though he had stopped performing experiments himself sometime mid-career. Dean could not wait to see the latest data especially at the moment it was being generated. This apparent love of science kept him in the laboratory until the last months of his life. In summary, Dr. Dean Danner truly was a dedicated and inspired scientist, teacher and friend to those graced by his acquaintance".