Dr. Paul Gottlieb; scientist, UT administrator
Hyfler/Rosner
GOTTLIEB--Dr. Paul, Director of the School of Biological Sciences died
November 1, 2003, in Austin, Texas, of liver cancer at the age of 59. He was
both a creative scientist and an empathetic administrator. He became
Director of the School in the College of Natural Sciences in September 2001
after serving several years as chairman of Molecular Genetics and
Microbiology. During his tenure as the School's Director, he worked
unceasingly to increase the interactions between two seemingly disparate
groups of biological scientists, those who study whole organisms and those
like Dr. Gottlieb who study specific molecular processes. His achievements
have left an enduring legacy at the University. Dr. Gottlieb expanded
programs and helped increase funding for biological research and for both
graduate and undergraduate education. Gottlieb received a BA from Princeton
University in 1965. He then earned a doctoral degree from The Rockefeller
University, working with Nobel Laureate Gerald Edelman. After a
post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford Gottlieb took a faculty appointment at
MIT. He came to the University of Texas as Professor in 1980. His research
focused on the cells that constitute the body's immune system. In his early
career, he made seminal contributions to deciphering the structure and
function of antibodies, laying the groundwork for understanding how each
immune cell produces only a single antibody. Later, he worked to understand
the function of a major class of immune cells, called killer T cells.
Gottlieb also discovered a new gene important for T cell function and for
cardiovascular system development. Mice lacking this protein have an
embryonic heart defect that has important implications for cardiac disease
in children. A co-author of more than 70 scientific articles, Gottlieb also
served as an editor of various immunology journals and as a member of
national research immune cell produces only a single antibody. Later, he
worked to understand the function of a major class of immune cells, called
killer T cells. Gottlieb also discovered a new gene important for T cell
function and for cardiovascular system development. Mice lacking this
protein have an embryonic heart defect that has important implications for
cardiac disease in children. A co-author of more than 70 scientific
articles, Gottlieb also served as an editor of various immunology journals
and as a member of national research committees. He was a fellow of the
American Association for the Advancement of Science. Gottlieb was a native
of New Brunswick, N.J. He is survived in Austin by his wife, Nell Gottlieb;
his daughter, Erin A. Gottlieb, and sonin-law, Eric A. Bedell from
Galveston; his brother, Michael Gottlieb from Pasadena, Calif.; and his
mother, Beatrice Gottlieb from Highland Park, N.J. The College of Biological
Sciences of the University of Texas at Austin deeply mourns his passing.
Donations may be made to The Paul Gottlieb Memorial Fund at the School of
Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712.