The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences 58:B679 (2003)
© 2003 The Gerontological Society of America
Obituary. Jay Roberts, PhD (1927–2002)
Richard C. Adelman, PhD,
Vincent J. Cristofalo, PhD and
Edward J. Masoro, PhD
Professor Emeritus of Biological Chemistry Past Director, Institute of Gerontology University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan
President & CEO Lankenau Institute for Medical Research Wynnewood, Pennsylvania Professor Emeritus, the University of Pennsylvania Professor Emeritus, Wistar Institute
Professor Emeritus Department of Physiology University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, Texas
Dr. Jay Roberts, a distinguished pharmacologist and gerontologist, died on November 8, 2002. Jay was born in New York City on July 15, 1927. After receiving his BS from Long Island University in 1949, he entered the pharmacology program of The Cornell University Graduate School of Medical Sciences in New York City and received a PhD from that program in 1953. He served on the faculty of the Department of Pharmacology of Cornell University School of Medicine from 1956–1966, first as an assistant professor and then as associate professor. In 1966, Dr. Roberts moved to the University of Pittsburgh as a professor in the Department of Pharmacology and, in 1970, he accepted the position of Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pharmacology at the Medical College of Pennsylvania (MCP) in Philadelphia. To this point in time, his research had been focused on cardiovascular pharmacology, a field in which the quality and importance of his many publications were widely recognized. Soon after his arrival at the MCP, he and one of us (E.J.M.) teamed up to initiate a study on the effects of aging on the functioning of rat cardiac and skeletal muscle. Although this collaboration lasted for only 2 years, it resulted in both investigators devoting most of their remaining research careers to biological gerontology. Jay focused on the aging of the rat heart with particular emphasis on the neural regulation of cardiac function including the action of pharmacologic agents on the heart. He developed the technique of generating "cardiac synaptosomes," which enabled the in vitro study of the functioning of cardiac nerve terminals. He and other gerontologists have effectively used this technique, as have many other physiologists and pharmacologists interested in cardiac function. Jay was the author of over 140 publications. He was actively involved in teaching medical students and graduate students. Throughout his career, Dr. Roberts' skills were recognized with many honors and awards including distinguished teaching and outstanding educators of America.
Not only did Jay make important research contributions to gerontology, but he also served as a source of knowledge on aging and pharmacology in general. He did this through his lectures nationally and internationally to audiences such as those of The Gerontological Society of America, and by writing review articles and editing books. Dr. Roberts was an active member of many professional societies including The Gerontological Society of America. He served as the Chair of the Biological Sciences Section of The Gerontological Society of America (1982–1983), and was editor of the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences from 1996 to 2000. During his tenure as editor, the Journal obtained the highest impact factor in its history. On a personal note, Jay was a member of "The Philadelphia Mafia" along with the three of us and the late George Baker, a group interaction that fostered the development of each of us as gerontologists and one of deep personal friendship. During the past few months, we have missed Jay so very much.
