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Statement on the Death of Stephen B. Pitcairn - 07/26/2010

Statement on the Death of Stephen B. Pitcairn

Release Date: July 26, 2010

Johns Hopkins is deeply shocked and saddened by the stabbing death of research technologist Stephen B. Pitcairn. His colleagues and friends here mourn his loss and extend sincere condolences to his family.

Mr. Pitcairn joined the laboratory of Gregg Semenza, M.D., Ph.D., at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine on June 29, 2009 as a lab technician, and was promoted July 1, 2010 to the position of research technologist.

In a statement issued earlier today, Dr. Semenza said: “Stephen was a remarkable young man,” whose undergraduate work at Kalamazoo College “so impressed [former Johns Hopkins University President] Bill Richardson that Bill called me to personally support Stephen’s application to my lab.

As an undergraduate, Stephen spent a year in Japan working in a research lab and he was fluent in Japanese.  He was very dedicated to his work as a member of the team in my lab studying breast cancer. Stephen was in the process of applying to medical school for next year and he had all of the personal qualities needed for a successful career as a physician. “

“The loss of any member of our Johns Hopkins community impacts us all,” said Ronald J. Daniels, president of the university. “But the loss of a vital young man of such potential, intent on dedicating his life to helping others, is especially tragic. Everyone at the university joins me in expressing our sympathies to Stephen’s family, colleagues and friends.”

Calling Stephen Pitcairn’s death a “tragedy for his family, his friends for our institution and for science,” Edward D. Miller, M.D. , Dean/CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine expressed deep hope for the rapid arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the crime.  “This is a terrible, terrible loss,” he said.

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