I had the extraordinary good fortune to know and work with the most wonderful, smart, helpful, insightful, good, well-meaning, kind, and supportive program officers, SRO in Jean Hickman, and colleagues in TMP, now DMID NIAID, with Michael who was an exceptional, and good friend, among the very best. Mike helped our work in many ways: These ways ranged from encouraging me to split our immunology and vaccine work from the human studies work that became the National Collaborative Toxoplasmosis study, to suggesting to us to make a randomized control trial when I had to ask “what does that mean?”, to saying I should take our biochemistry /molecular biology/unique parasite vulnerabilities work work to present at Eli Lilly to encourage them to support parasitology drug development. He encouraged me develop the first, or one of the first, Data Safety Monitoring Boards (DSMBs) when I talked with Paul Meier (of Kaplan Meier analyses, “the curve that changed the world”).
When I came to study section, it was from a hospital with a small research center, I felt so in awe and unqualified when I saw my peers. I read all 100 grants and Stephanie and Michael smiled. They and Jean told me to “speak up!” Once when we all went to a restaurant at an IRG meeting, I think it was Mike, Rich Locksley, Steve Reed, TV Rajan after a glass of wine, who decided along with me that it should celebrate Jean’s birthday. There was rattlesnake on the menu and different cakes. To relieve the pressure of seeing many innovative and strong grant proposals, frustrated by a ~3rd percentile pay-line and wanting to help many of those grants, we did something silly. We ordered rattle snake and many desserts, each with candles, for Jean. I think Michael was there chuckling more as each cake arrived, each of us finding it was really more and more funny. Jean was at first perplexed and surprised, it wasn’t her birthday really, but by the third piece of cake she was smiling broadly with good natured amusement and grace. But the silliness relieved the tension of that day. It was good for all of us to laugh together. After all this time I am not positive the details are completely correct, but it reflects a time of serious scientific discussions, the deep caring about applicants, their work, and the field, and the fun, playfulness, and friendships that came from Mike, and others. during and after that time. Mike and his colleagues always felt (still feel) like guardian angels for our work. For Mike’s family, I attach our 2020 holiday letter so you might know what Mike and his colleagues helped us to build.
When I learned Mike had passed away last month, and even now, my eyes fill with tears. I will miss him dearly. I can only begin to imagine how much his family, Stephanie and Lee must feel. Mike spoke so highly and proudly of all in his family, especially his obstetrician daughter.
I will continue to think of Mike often, of certain comments he made, Mike’s concern for all people including those living in poverty and underserved, his commitment and passion for. understanding and developing treatments and vaccines to eliminate these terrible, and often neglected, diseases. I will remember his intelligence, insight, wisdom, his smile and buoyant laugh…and his interest in and affection for all of you./us and we for him.
Warmly,
Rima
Michael, 1993
Mike contributed to each of the following at the start and I think he would be pleased to know
the progress we have made in our work toward eliminating toxoplasmosis this year. I thought his family might like to know the following: This past year in building a worldwide pre-natal screening program to prevent and treat congenital toxoplasmosis, with colleagues, an exceedingly high functioning lateral chromatography point of care test was created and evaluated through to use in clinical practice. We have initiated an ongoing US clinical trial of this novel diagnostic test. We have been part of obtaining Ce Mark (European equivalent of the FDA) approval. This was approved December 8, 2020! We are eagerly awaiting review of this same material by the FDA. This has been delayed due to their SARS-CoVi2 work. This inexpensive accurate test will help establish routine screening of pregnant women for acquisition of Toxoplasma to facilitate prompt treatment/prevention to eliminate congenital toxoplasmosis.
With colleagues we created, formulated, and tested a small molecule inhibitor effective against both fast growing and dormant Toxoplasma in laboratory models. This also cures the malaria parasite. We have plans to develop this toward the clinic with companion compounds. We have established a formal consortium to advance this work. More information about this can be found at the links below and will be added to our updated website “live” early next year at toxoplasmosis.org. We also have a powerful approach for making synergistic anti-sense inhibitors.
We and colleagues are making good progress with innovative recent findings toward a vaccine to prevent infection in humans, stopping oocyst shedding, and better understanding pathogenesis and consequences of this infection.
These are part of Mike and his colleagues wonderful legacy. He truly was a wonderful person.