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Dr. Jan Hermans

We are very saddened to let you know about the passing of former faculty member, Dr. Jan Hermans. He died peacefully at home in Bynum on December 20, 2018. Jan was a faculty member in the Biochemistry Department from 1963-2004 and was also a member of the Biophysics Program from the beginning. He is greatly missed. Please continue reading the news in this post by clicking this link.

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Dr. John Sheehan

Michael Hooker Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at UNC Chapel Hill and member of the UNC Cystic Fibrosis Center, Dr. Sheehan peacefully passed on February 4, 2013 in his home.

Dr. Sheehan was an extraordinary scientist. He received his Bachelors of Science in Physics from Leicester University in 1968, then proceeded to Bristol University for a Masters in Materials Science in 1969 as well as a doctorate in Biophysics in 1973. He led a distinguished research career working as a scientist at Purdue, Lund, Lancaster, and then Manchester University before joining UNC in 2002. At UNC, he spearheaded one of the top innate immunity laboratories in the U.S. and was already a well-known leader in his field and particularly in furthering research on cystic fibrosis.

During his time at UNC, his lab made important discoveries relating to the structure and organization of the mucosal surfaces of the human airways, particularly the tethered mucins comprising the glycocalyx and the polymeric mucins of the mucus gel. He was well published in top tier research journals and maintained his research funding throughout his tenure at UNC.

Dr. Sheehan had an active mind and imagination. He was always open to new ideas and especially keen to apply new physically-based methodologies Over his career, he pioneered the use of light scattering, electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, and the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation to help resolve some the many complexities of his beloved molecules. Dr. Sheehan mentored more than a dozen students over the course of his career. Located on multiple continents, several of these scientists are established leaders in the field and continue his legacy. Though he left us as a relatively young man, he fulfilled his dream of leaving his UNC colleagues ‘… in good mucus shape!’

Dr. Sheehan will be missed and his passing constitutes an enormous professional and personal loss to us. We send our condolences to his family and will remember his enthusiasm for science and life.


Dr. George Kendrick Summer

Professor Emeritus of biochemistry and biophysics, passed peacefully at UNC Hospital on July 8th in Chapel Hill, North Carolina at the age of 92. George was born May 8th, 1923 in Cherryville, North Carolina to Thomas and Bessie Summer. He graduated from the University of North Carolina with a BS in Chemistry in 1944. He served in the Navy in the Pacific in World War Two. After the war he attended Harvard Medical School, where he met his wife of 64 years, Betsy, and graduated in 1951.He continued his post medical school training at Vanderbilt University, Wake Forest University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a faculty member in the department until his retirement in 1988. After his retirement, George established a fund in the department to support medical and graduate training and research in biochemical genetics.

Join in supporting his legacy at UNC by giving to this opportunity: http://bit.ly/1LA1m8y