With the outpouring of grief and the desire of many to honor Suzanne Eaton as a remarkably pioneering scientist, mentor, and friend we have established a fund in Suzanne’s memory.  Suzanne’s research was characterized by the ability to link seemingly disparate fields to answer fundamental, biological questions in new ways.  Spanning biophysics, biochemistry, cell biology, genetics and developmental biology her work yielded new insights into how developing tissues obtain the right shape, size and pattern by controlling not only biochemical cues but also physical forces.  Her excitement in biology was evident daily in her creative, probing questions at seminars and one-on-one discussions that enriched all of our science. 

 

Suzanne Eaton’s wide-ranging interests were not only limited to biology. She was a talented pianist, singer, Taekwondo disciple, bicyclist and cook. She was devoted to her family. As a voracious book reader, she enjoyed vivid discussions on wide-ranging topics. Her serene, composed and genteel manner always brought a sense of reason and civility to any gathering. 

 

In this spirit, a mission of the fund will be to support young scientists to explore topics outside their core area in order to further their research. We are open to suggestions for ways in which to achieve this, or for other ideas on how to support deserving researchers who share Suzanne’s open mind and breadth of interest. 

 

We are particularly grateful to Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, Claudia Walther, Marie-Louise Stoll-Steffan, Jonathan Kirsch, Bernhard Huber, Jürgen Knoblich, Michael Krebs, and Lea-Louisa Klement for their efforts on behalf of this memorial fund. 
 

On behalf of all those who miss Suzanne, 

Elly Tanaka 

Ruth Lehmann 

Anne Classen 

Maria Leptin