Ron DePinho, Professor of Department of Cancer Biology, Division of Discovery Science at MD Anderson Cancer Center, shared on LinkedIn:
“A beautiful remembrance of my dear friend and treasured colleague, J. Michael Bishop…
One of the giants of modern cancer biology and an extraordinary human being.
For anyone who wishes to be a better mentor, please read this excellent piece.
Mike’s discoveries with Harold Varmus transformed our understanding of cancer, but his legacy extends far beyond oncogenes and the Nobel Prize.
He embodied intellectual rigor, integrity, humility, curiosity, wit, and an unwavering commitment to truth.
He taught generations of scientists how to think, not by directing every step, but through incisive questions, exacting standards, and the quiet power of example.
My thanks to Martin McMahon, Sara Courtneidge, Deborah Spector, and Alana Welm for capturing the essence of the man so beautifully: brilliant yet modest, demanding yet generous, serious about science yet alive to literature, music, art, and baseball.
And, in classic Mike fashion, the piece may send a few readers to the dictionary.
Mike wanted a remembrance, not a hagiography (definition: an excessively reverential account of someone’s life).
This lovely essay delivers exactly that with affection, honesty, humor, and profound gratitude.
Title: J. Michael Bishop: A remembrance—Not a hagiography
Authors: Martin McMahon, Sara A. Courtneidge, Deborah H. Spector, Alana L. Welm.
Read The Full Essay.”