Richard O'Brien, chair of the Department of Neurology, has alerted the Neurology faculty to the passing of Allen D. Roses, MD, Jefferson-Pilot Corporation Professor of Neurobiology. Dr. Allen was 73.
Mary Klotman, MD, chair of the Department of Medicine, adds the following: "Allen started his career at Duke in the Department of Medicine, and he was always a champion of the power of discovery science in unlocking disease pathogenesis and novel therapeutic pathways, particularly in Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. O'Brien's message:
It is with profound sadness that I report the passing of Dr. Allen Roses. While most of you know Allen far longer than I, the two years I have spent at Duke have given me the opportunity to get to know Allen, something for which I am very grateful.
Allen was a true giant of American Neurology, someone who built a powerhouse department, founded the field of neurogenetics and made, what is still today, the most important observation in the field of Alzheimer’s disease, the association of the disease with the APOE4 gene. Just two weeks ago he presented at the departmental “Research in Progress” meeting about exciting new work on genetic copy number variants in ALS. His passion and genius was clear.
In addition to his remarkable clinical, corporate and research careers, Allen was devoted to his family and his institution. I often ran into Allen around Durham with his wife and daughters, beaming with pride and ready to relate their latest accomplishments.
Allen bled Duke blue. He never missed a basketball game in 40 years and had incredible pride in the rise of an institution that paralleled his own.
I know we will all miss Allen, but we should also take a moment to celebrate a singular career and individual.
Services
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at Judea Reform Congregation, 1933 West Cornwallis Rd., Durham, NC 27705. Rabbi Larry Bach will officiate. Burial will be at Judea Reform Congregation Cemetery, 2560 Jones Ferry Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.
Memorial contributions may be made to American Dance Festival, PO Box 90772, Durham, NC 27708. Online condolences can be made here.