Mitch Eddy

Norman B. Hecht: (December 14, 1940–February 28, 2013)

Norman Bernard Hecht, Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, died February 28 in Seattle where he was receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer. Norman was an internationally recognized leader for studies on developmentally regulated gene expression in spermatogenesis and in the fi eld of male reproductive biology. He pioneered the incorporation of molecular biology in research on male germ cell development. He collaborated with many, and his considerable enthusiasm for discussing science and his intellectual contributions to the fi eld will be greatly missed by his scientifi c colleagues and friends.

IN MEMORIAM: Norman B. Hecht, December 14, 1940 - February 28, 2013

A pioneer in the field of spermatogenesis and a man we all knew as ‘‘Norm’’ died February 28 in Seattle, where he was receiving treatment for pancreatic cancer. Norman Bernard Hecht retired in April 2011 as Emeritus Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Norman was married to Mary Alice (Reginer) on June 16, 1968, and is survived by Mary, their two children—David in San Francisco and Rachelle in Seattle—and four grandchildren. Norman was born in Newark, New Jersey; graduated from Weequahic High School in Newark; and received a B.S. in biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He earned his Ph.D. in Microbiology at the University of Illinois in 1967, working on the formation and posttranscriptional modification of bacterial ribosomal RNA. He then undertook postdoctoral training with Herbert Stern at the University of California, San Diego, where his interest in meiosis was stimulated. Norman’s first publication from work in the Stern laboratory was on the characterization of a late-replicating DNA complex during meiotic prophase in the lily. In 1970, he became an assistant professor of biology at Tufts University, teaching genetics and conducting research. His early work centered on the characterization of DNA polymerases during meiosis in the male mouse. In the early 1980s, Norm began investigating gene expression during mammalian spermatogenesis and in a series of studies showed that gene expression occurred in haploid cells in the testis. His work focused on the expression of the protamine and transition protein genes. The notion of gene transcription from haploid cells was very controversial, and this body of work rigorously established the existence and addressed the importance of postmeiotic gene transcription. Norman remained at Tufts until 1997, when he became the William Shippen, Jr., Professor of Human Reproduction in the Center for Research on Reproduction and Women’s Health at the University of Pennsylvania. His work then focused on a testis/brain RNA binding protein called ‘‘translin,’’ and he described its possible role in transport of mRNA in germ cells. Recently, he was working on MSY2, another RNA binding protein that was shown to be essential for mRNA stability and spermatogenesis. In all of these areas, Norm was a true pioneer and ahead of the field. He was among the first to incorporate molecular biology in research on male germ cell development. He was one of the first to use transgenic mice to identify spermatogenic cell-specific promoter regions and gene targeting methods to determine the role of proteins involved in gametogenesis. In official recognition of his work, Norman received many honors, including the Distinguished Andrologist Award from the American Society for Andrology in 2006 and the Research Award from the Society for the Study of Reproduction in 2000. More importantly, Norman had the respect and admiration of his scientific colleagues and friends who will long remember his passion for science and his enthusiastic, intellectual discussions. Norman loved to travel and he collaborated with colleagues around the world. He spent time working in laboratories in Australia, Israel, Holland, France, Italy, and Japan. On these travels, he never failed to avail himself of the local culture. He loved to walk and could be seen on early morning sojourns wherever he happened to be. He had an interest in bird watching and photography that he took with him on his travels. Norman Hecht was a professor, mentor, colleague, and friend. He will be in our thoughts and memories, and we will greatly miss his physical presence. We will miss the insightful questions and observations, and we will miss his wonderful laugh and sense of humor, but we will also remember his gallant struggle over the past two years. —Michael D. Griswold, Mitch Eddy, Erwin Goldberg

Biology of Reproduction Highlights

Negative effects of late maternal age in women on offspring aneuploidy and its associated defects are well known. However, other potential negative effects on offspring from delayed motherhood have been only anecdotal. In what is sure to be a controversial topic of discussion, on page 1336 of this issue, Tarı́n et al., presents data that delayed motherhood in mice results in decreased life expectancy and reduced body weight of their adult male offspring. Several other aspects of reproductive fitness of offspring were assessed, but none showed significant deleterious effects. This report identifying effects of delayed motherhood on life expectancy and body weight of male offspring will surely stimulate inquiries into mechanisms resulting in these disturbing consequences, as well as epidemiological studies in humans.