12/19/2023
Very saddened to share that fellow Glenbard East classmate Brett D. Lindebach, PhD, passed away this past Saturday, December 16 after a tough and enduring battle with glioblastoma…brain cancer for the past 20 months. He was just 55 years old. He was a loving husband, father, son, and brother and an eminent scientist. He is survived by his wife Joanna Bloom, his daughters, Molly and Claire, his mother, Laurel Lindenbach, and his sisters, Kristen Diamond, Lauren Lindenbach, and Lindsay Lindenbach.
I am so sorry that he passed so very young. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. I remember a few years back while I was working on my graduate degree, we exchanged a few emails related to an upcoming reunion and he was so supportive and encouraged me in my PhD journey. I have fond memories of him from high school as well. I remember sitting next to him in math and science classes. I always tried to partner with him in lab cause I knew he was the smart one. Somewhat reserved but always so nice, may you rest in peace Brett. You will be so very missed. 😢❤️🙏🏼
Obituary of Brett Lindenbach (1968-2023)
Born June 4, 1968 in Colorado Springs, CO, Brett grew up in the Chicago suburbs. received his B.S. in Biology from the University of Illinois, 1990 and his Ph.D. in Immunology from Washington University in St. Louis, 1999. He completed postdoctoral studies with Dr. Paul Ahlquist at the HHMI/University of Wisconsin, 2002 and with Dr. Charlie Rice at The Rockefeller University, 2006, where he developed the first robust cell culture model of hepatitis C virus. Dr. Lindenbach is an expert on the Flaviviridae, a large family of enveloped, positive-strand RNA viruses, including several important human and animal pathogens.
In 2006, Brett joined the faculty of the Yale School of Medicine's Department of Microbial Pathogenesis. He and his lab studied positive-strand RNA viruses and made key contributions to the body of knowledge on important human pathogens, including hepatitis C virus, Zika virus, and SARS-CoV-2 virus. Brett had a gift for approaching cutting-edge science with cleverness, creativity, and command, as well as conveying his research in an approachable manner, often explaining it as "I take viruses apart and put them back together again to see how they work."
Brett enjoyed cycling, doing the New York Times crossword puzzle (in pen), and grilling for friends and family in his Big Green Egg. He had a deep sense of curiosity and a wide-ranging appetite for music and was a connoisseur of hot sauces. A recipient of the Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance's June Rice Courage Award in 2022, Brett will be remembered for his persistence and humor in facing the challenges of brain cancer.
He is survived by his wife Joanna Bloom, his daughters, Molly and Claire, his mother, Laurel Lindenbach, and his sisters, Kristen Diamond, Lauren Lindenbach, and Lindsay Lindenbach.
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/brett-lindenbach-obituary?id=53863470
https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/the-brett-lindenbach-virology-fund/
https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/brett-lindenbach/
https://braintumor.org/news/turning-lemons-into-lemonade-after-a-glioblastoma-diagnosis/
