Professor Daniel N. Hebert passed away on December 8th, 2024 at the age of 62. He served as a faculty member in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) department for 27 years.
Dan received his PhD from the UMass Chan Medical School in 1991 before moving on to Yale University for his postdoctoral training. He joined the faculty of BMB in 1997.
Throughout his time at UMass, Dan was committed to understanding the processes involved in the maturation and quality control of glycoproteins. His research was instrumental in laying the foundation for our understanding of how glucose assists with folding and quality control of proteins secreted from cells via the endoplasmic reticulum. Work from the Hebert Lab has advanced our understanding of diabetes, genetic lung disorders, liver cirrhosis, Alzheimer’s, and many other diseases.
As a first generation American, Dan was committed to training future researchers and promoting an inclusive and supportive research environment. He was a caring and disciplined mentor who loved teaching, and he believed that recruiting and training students from a broad spectrum of backgrounds was the most rewarding aspect of his work.
Dan will be remembered for his quick wit and dry sense of humor. He will be deeply missed by his friends and colleagues, and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his memory to a Molecular and Cellular Biology graduate scholarship award at UMass. Donations, which should reference Daniel Hebert in the memo line, can be sent to: University of Massachusetts Amherst Foundation, 134 Hicks Way, Amherst, MA 01003.
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