Last Saturday, January 20, we woke up to the sad news of the death of Judith (Judy, as we all knew her) Campisi, a researcher at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in the United States. Despite the fact that many of us knew about her illness and poor condition, spirited after the death of her elderly mother, the news has been a shock in a scientific field, that of cellular senescence, in which her name shone with its own light as a true inspiring leader.
Judy was undoubtedly a pioneer and central figure in the field of cellular senescence, and in establishing the implication of this process in aging and cancer. Thus she was recognized by the entire scientific community, who saw in her a leader who seduced with her ideas, her vision and her discoveries, in addition to her character and kindness.
This researcher was the creator of a school that produced numerous highly prestigious scientists who trained with her, expanded this field of research to different parts of the world and who recognized her as a generous and constant mentor in their support. Only great leaders of original thought who care about the career of their disciples, helping them at every stage of their professional progression, can achieve the recognition and affection of the scientific community.
Judy was a tireless speaker who always said yes to all the calls from conference organizers around the world, who always turned to her as a guarantee of success for the opening or closing talks of their events. There was no scientific meeting that demanded her presence in any corner of the world, no matter how remote, to which Judy would refuse to go, regardless of marathon days or impossible schedules. Her lectures were master classes that reviewed the field of research, in addition to being inspiring in sharing her vision, always integrative and global. In those same conferences or in any circumstance, Judy was a person who was always accessible, kind, willing to listen to everyone and help anyone who asked. And she was also willing to accompany the conversation with a glass of a good red wine that she appreciated so much.
Shocked with the news of the passing of Judith Campisi, a key figure in the Cellular Senescence field and a deeply influential leader https://t.co/cVURArVJG2
— Sociedad SENESCEL (@SENESCEL) January 20, 2024
The recognition of his leadership in this scientific field came thanks to his numerous key contributions to understanding the process of cellular senescence and which he summarized not only in his lectures, but also through review articles that were always required reading for anyone who wanted to. delving into this area or trying to keep up to date with new discoveries. His vision and interpretation of both his own results and those of the rest of the community earned him the recognition of his colleagues.
For decades, the field of cellular senescence was a controversial field in which few scientists like Judy were able to continue providing solid and increasingly decisive evidence of its relevance, until today achieving unanimous recognition and a splendor that It is beginning to be reflected in promising therapeutic applications. In this aspect, Judy was also a pioneer, contributing decisively to the creation of one of the first and most important startupsUnity Biotechnology, focused on the elimination of senescent cells as a therapeutic strategy against diseases associated with aging, a path that many others have embarked on in their footsteps.
We will undoubtedly miss his numerous scientific contributions in the form of articles with new discoveries, his reviews updating our knowledge and giving it meaning, and his presence at all the conferences where he always found a moment to stop and chat with everyone. Despite her very small physical stature, Judy was a true giant of science, full of energy and passion that she transmitted with a smile and a kind voice.
Judy kept the torch of senescence research burning for many years. Now it is our turn to keep that torch alive for the next generations of researchers and for the rest of society. From the Spanish Society of Cellular Senescence, SENESCELwe will work to keep his legacy alive and continue expanding the frontiers of the science of cellular senescence in his memory.
The Board of Directors of the Spanish Society of Cellular Senescence, SENESCEL It is made up of Manuel Collado, Salvador Macip, Ana O’Loghlen, Concha Peiró, Ignacio Palmero, María Mittelbrunn and Juan Carlos Acosta.
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