Vernon R Young: the man, the scientist, the visionary

It was just 1 y ago in our favorite Italian restaurant on Cambridge Street that Vernon Young and I began to discuss the festschrift that his many friends wanted to organize for him at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In agreeing to this, he indicated that he wanted us to look to the future of nutrition and to highlight the new disciplinary opportunities for nutrition scientists. We wanted to schedule it early in 2004, but space was not available at MIT. With characteristic optimism, although undergoing treatment for renal cancer, Vernon insisted on November 12, the first date an auditorium would be available at MIT and near what would have been his 67th birthday on November 15. Ultimately Vernon chose the topics, proposed the speakers, and planned today’s meeting as a festschrift and we both envisioned a large and enthusiastic gathering. In his final hours in the hospital when Vernon could no longer speak, I assured him in the presence of his family, all of whom are here today, that we would hold the symposium as we planned it and he smiled. Today we honor that promise. It is appropriate that before the scientific sessions, we begin with 3 brief presentations describing Vernon as a person, a scientist, and a visionary. The first topic is presented by Dr Takuzo Kitamura, who provided the financial support from the Ajinomoto Company of Japan that allowed Vernon to begin his pioneering research on lysine and who came to know Vernon as charismatic, sympathetic, and dedicated. Dr Kitamura has committed his company to not only the full support of this symposium but also major additional recognition.