June 28, 1939 – October 15, 2025

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Alan Neil Schechter, M.D., a loving husband, father, and grandfather, and a cherished colleague, mentor, and friend. Dr. Schechter died on October 15, 2025, at the age of 86, following a distinguished biomedical research career spanning more than six decades at the National Institutes of Health.

Personal Life

Dr. Schechter is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, two children, four grandchildren and his sister. His wife Geraldine P. Schechter, M.D., is the former Chief of Hematology at the Washington D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center and a professor emeritus at George Washington University. They enjoyed a six-decade partnership devoted to building a family, the advancement of medical knowledge, and caring for others. He will be remembered as a wise and loving father by Daniele Schechter Huerta (married to Frank Huerta) and Andrew Schechter (married to Sarah Kline), as a devoted grandfather by Bryce Huerta, Mark Huerta, Acadia Schechter, and Leah Schechter, and as a caring brother by Patricia Blinder.

Dr. Schechter loved to travel and explore the world, and he developed strong community ties in Castine, Maine, which he visited almost every year since 1972. He was an avid collector of art, recently loaning the Vassar College Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center part of his extensive collection of 19th century Japanese woodblock prints. He read two newspapers a day and multiple magazines, but he also wanted to learn from everyone he met, making it a habit to ask, "What's new?" His home overflowed with books, testifying to his passion for knowledge on all aspects of science, history, and art, and he loved acquiring all kinds of the latest technological gadgets.

Above all, he loved scientific research and the NIH. He loved the opportunities the NIH gave him to pursue basic and clinical research, and he celebrated the NIH's proud history of contributions to medical science. As a researcher, he had an extraordinary capacity to connect with people across disciplines and around the world. He fostered collaborations that bridged continents and changed lives. He was a scientist's scientist—rigorous in thought, generous with knowledge, and deeply committed to the advancement of human health through research.

Education and Early Career

Dr. Schechter received his medical degree from Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1963, following his undergraduate studies at Cornell University and preparation at Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York. He completed his clinical training in internal medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine before coming to the NIH as a member of the United States Public Health Service. There he joined the Laboratory of Chemical Biology at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, where he trained under Nobel laureate Dr. Christian B. Anfinsen. Under Dr. Anfinsen, Dr. Schechter made seminal contributions to the canonical studies of protein folding. His mastery of biophysical techniques and keen insight into protein structure established him as a leading investigator in the field.

Dr. Schechter exemplified the physician-investigator ideal. His career arc traced the evolution of modern molecular medicine, from foundational studies in protein biochemistry to pioneering translational research in sickle cell disease and nitric oxide biology.

Sickle Cell Disease Research

In 1972, Dr. Schechter was appointed Chief of the Section on Molecular Biology and Genetics, and in 1981, he assumed leadership of the Laboratory of Chemical Biology when Dr. Anfinsen retired. Under his stewardship, the laboratory evolved into a model research program, with Dr. Schechter assembling teams of accomplished basic and clinical investigators to tackle one of the nation's most pressing health disparities.

His research illuminated the molecular workings of sickle cell disease, particularly the polymerization of hemoglobin S and its effects on red blood cell deformability and organ damage. His work provided crucial insights that led to clinical trials demonstrating the therapeutic potential of hydroxyurea—findings that transformed treatment approaches for sickle cell patients worldwide. In recognition of his laboratory's translation of basic research into clinical benefit, the unit was renamed the Molecular Medicine Branch in 2004.

Nitric Oxide and Vascular Biology

Dr. Schechter's most recent research focused on the biology of nitric oxide as a vasodilator and its role in regulating blood flow, particularly in the context of ischemic disease and sickle cell complications. His investigations revealed novel mechanisms by which hemoglobin transports and regulates nitric oxide bioavailability—discoveries that opened new therapeutic avenues for cardiovascular and pulmonary disorders. This work generated multiple patents and inspired a new generation of studies on the role in the body of nitric oxide and related metabolites.

Leadership and Mentorship

Beyond his scientific achievements, Dr. Schechter was renowned for his extraordinary ability to train and inspire the next generation of physician-scientists. His mentoring philosophy was distinctive: he taught physicians to think like researchers and researchers to understand clinical medicine. Through his teaching positions at George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, and the NIH Graduate School, as well as his leadership roles at the Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES), Dr. Schechter shaped careers and promoted the mission of the physician-investigator.

Contributions to NIH and the Scientific Community

Dr. Schechter's leadership extended far beyond his own laboratory. He served as Acting NIH Historian and Director of the Office of NIH History and the DeWitt Stetten, Jr. Museum of Medical Research, where his scholarly work documented the landmark achievements of intramural researchers, including the Nobel Prize-winning contributions of Marshall Nirenberg and Christian B. Anfinsen. His service on grant review committees, study sections, and advisory boards at NIH, the National Science Foundation, and other federal agencies reflected the deep trust and respect he earned across the scientific community.

Dr. Schechter worked as a co-editor and later editor emeritus of Perspectives in Biology and Medicine. He was a passionate advocate for research integrity, scientific responsibility, and the ethical conduct of research.

Recognition and Legacy

Dr. Schechter's contributions earned him election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (1999) and recognition through numerous awards, including the NIH Director's Merit Award (2010). In 2023, in recognition of his stellar research achievements and unwavering support of the NIDDK mission, he was named the inaugural Christian B. Anfinsen Distinguished Scientist—a fitting tribute to the man who trained him and whose scientific legacy he carried forward.

His bibliography encompasses nearly 400 publications spanning chemical biology, molecular biology, biophysics, clinical research, and biomedical history. More importantly, his work on sickle cell disease and nitric oxide biology continues to influence clinical practice and research worldwide.

A Life in Service to Science

Scientific research was Dr. Schechter's calling, and the NIH was his home. His extraordinary gift lay not only in his own discoveries but in his capacity to connect people, ideas, and opportunities across disciplines and institutions. He fostered collaborations that bridged continents and changed lives. He was a scientist's scientist—rigorous in thought, generous with knowledge, and deeply committed to the advancement of human health through research.

With his passing, the biomedical research community has lost a founding figure of modern physician-scientist training, a pioneer in translational medicine, and a champion of scientific integrity. His legacy endures in the investigators he mentored, the patients who benefited from his research, and the culture of rigorous, ethical science he helped to establish at the NIH and beyond.

Arrangements

Funeral Services will be held on Monday, October 20 at 12 noon at Bethesda Jewish Congregation, 6601 Bradley Blvd, Bethesda, MD with burial service at 2pm at Garden of Remembrance Memorial Park, 14321 Comus Road, Clarksburg, MD.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Wilson Museum of Castine, Maine or to the Suburban Hospital Foundation .