John “Jack” Nordin passed away on April 17th, 2024, at the age of 89. Jack was born on October 11th, 1934, in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois earning a BS in Agronomy in 1956 and Michigan State, earning a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1961 while serving as a member of the Army National Guard.
Jack joined the faculty in the biochemistry department at UMass Amherst in 1965, where, according to his colleague and friend Maurille “Skip” Fournier, “Jack was an important pillar in the newly created Department of Biochemistry”.
Jack’s research focused on the biochemistry and cell biology of embryonic development in insects. He studied the production of vitellogenin, the nutritive proteins that are found in yolks, to determine how insect embryos regulate utilization of these stored nutrition sources for growth. His work on vitellin degradation played a vital role in our understanding of insect development.
Jack’s research group collaborated with colleagues at UMass Amherst and abroad. He used his time on sabbatical to travel, taking his family to live in or visit Switzerland, Italy, and Montana.
Jack’s generosity and humor made him a positive presence in the department. He served as Department Head from 1991-1996, during which time he “contributed a great deal to the growth of our department into a strong and exciting community”, according to Skip.
After a long and distinguished career, Jack retired from UMass Amherst in 2002 after 37 years of service. Starting in 2003 with a gift from one of Jack’s former students, the department of biochemistry and molecular biology has been pleased to host a series of lectures, the Nordin Lectures, in his honor and featuring prominent biochemists.
Maurille “Skip” Fournier, Professor Emeritus of BMB
Professor Jack Nordin was a terrific colleague and friend and an important pillar in the newly created Department of Biochemistry. Before the LGRC building was completed he shared invaluable laboratory space in Goessmann that enabled me and Tom Mason to launch our own research programs, with kind and generous access to equipment, supplies and institutional know-how. Serving as head he also contributed a great deal to the growth of our department into a strong and exciting community.
Jack’s laboratory was a fine model for excellent Ph.D. training and scientific success. I recall being struck by the breadth of interesting discoveries achieved through creative collaborations with other laboratories at UMass-Amherst (John Stoffolano and Joseph Kunkel) and in Pisa, Italy.
Fascinating research themes involved cell biology and biochemistry of embryonic development in insects. Examples include production of nutritive proteins (vitellogenin) that are a vital food source, generated by programmed cleavage of larger precursors. Also exciting was study of cryoprotective mechanisms, in which insects generate materials that provide protection at low temperature (e.g., glycerol as an antifreeze!).
On a personal level, Jack and wife Joyce provided wonderful friendship to faculty and student colleagues.
Dave Gross, Professor Emeritus of BMB
I met Jack on my first recruitment visit to the Biochemistry Department, as it was called in 1986. Jack chaired the search committee for the open faculty position that was the reason for my visit. Since he was chair, I saw quite a lot of him during that and my return visit. Aside from the welcome and encouragement from him, what I do remember most about my first encounter with him was his humor. It wasn't overt, but he always brought a lightness to the many meetings, meals, and discussions that are part of interviewing. I also remember him dispensing advice as he walked me over to the dean's office to "talk turkey" with the person dispensing the money. That advice was very welcome and very helpful.
Jack was a constant positive presence in the department for the years that our time overlapped. If I'm not mistaken he was on the personnel committee the year that I went up for tenure. Even if that recollection is wrong, I know that Jack was quite supportive during that process.
Jack was department head for a few years in the early-to-mid 1990s. He helped with my application for an American Cancer Society research scholar award. When I told him that I got it, he said with a grin that my research program was "now in orbit".
Jennifer Normanly, Professor and Head of BMB
Jack was the department head who hired me in 1993. He and another senior colleague, Ed Westhead, merged their laboratories to create plenty of space for me to establish my own laboratory. I really appreciated their generosity in making room for a new colleague. Jack ran the department seamlessly so that faculty could focus on research, teaching, and the molecular and cellular biology graduate program that the department had co-founded a few years before.