Fred Sherman (1932–2013)

Fred Sherman, a brilliant geneticist who popularized the use of baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae , as a genetic model system of eukaryotic cells, died on 16 September at the age of 81. Budding yeast are now used at virtually all research centers worldwide, largely due to Fred's efforts and mentoring of many of the leaders in the field. Indeed, Randy Schekman, who shared this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, was introduced to yeast in the Cold Spring Harbor course that Fred taught for 17 summers with his friend and colleague Gerald Fink. Many students and postdoctoral fellows who were trained in Fred's own laboratory also helped shape the field of yeast genetics. Fred taught by example how to think about science, how to do it, and how to enjoy it. He lived life fully, with joy, humor, and dance (ballet), and without ever really separating life from science.