An Era Ended, But the Legacy Lingers On: A Personal Reflection on Dr. David Baltimore

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Parameswaran Ramakrishnan

Abstract

Dr. David Baltimore’s contributions to modern biology span more than six decades and continue to shape the fields of virology, immunology, biochemistry, and molecular biology. Beyond his landmark discoveries—such as reverse transcriptase and NF-κB, as well as the Baltimore classification of viruses—his influence endures through his mentorship, leadership, and the generations of scientists he trained and inspired. In this essay, I recount my journey as his postdoctoral trainee at the California Institute of Technology, offering a personal glimpse into the mind, character, and legacy of a scientist whose approach to thinking, teaching, and living science remains timeless.

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Article Details

Section
Commentaries
Author Biography

Parameswaran Ramakrishnan, Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University; Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University; Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University; University Hospitals-Cleveland Medical Center, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University; Louis Stokes Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio

Tenured Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Associate Professor Department of Biochemistry, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine/University Hospitals-Cleveland Medical Center; 

Member, Immune Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and Cleveland Digestive Diseases Research Core Center

Research Biologist, Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Dr. Ramakrishnan's lab focuses on cell signaling in inflammation, autoimmunity and cancer.  Cellular systems, animal models and clinical samples are employed in research with the aim to identify fundamental mechanisms toward development and evaluation of novel therapeutics.