Abstract
Dr. Andrew (Andy) Brooks, 51, a research professor who led the creation of the first coronavirus saliva-based test, which received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency approval in the spring of 2020 and has played a significant role in the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, died unexpectedly in January.
More than four million rapid response tests, which were the first approved for home use, were performed up to January, earning Andy and his laboratory's pioneering work recognition in The New York Times, CNN, and other national media outlets. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy recognized Andy and his contribution to help stem the spread of COVID-19 in New Jersey and around the country, calling him “one of our state's unsung heroes.” Murphy said the Rutgers COVID-19 test has “undoubtedly saved lives” as he praised the legacy Brooks leaves behind. “We cannot thank Andy enough for all he did across his career,” Murphy said. “He will be sorely missed by many.”
Rutgers-New Brunswick Chancellor Christopher J. Molloy, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences Chancellor Brian Strom and S. David Kimball, Rutgers Senior Vice President of Research, in a joint statement, said, “We at Rutgers offer our heartfelt condolences to his family, including his three children, and with them we take pride in his achievements, that will have lasting impact.”
Jay Tischfield, founder and CEO of the Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository (RUCDR), distinguished professor of genetics at Rutgers-New Brunswick's School of Arts and Sciences, and executive director of the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, said, “Andy and I were close. We often commented that I was old enough to be his father, and I often thought of him as a son. He will be fondly remembered by the large cohort of scientists whose research he facilitated across many years.”
Andy was a research professor in Rutgers-New Brunswick's School of Arts and Sciences in the Department of Genetics, an academic member of the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, a research faculty member in Rutgers' Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI) and a member of its NIHS Center of Excellence, and a member of the graduate faculty in Rutgers Joint Graduate Program in Toxicology.
Andy's career was distinguished by outstanding scholarship, service in the field of biomedicine and business activities designed to improve human health. As chief operating officer and director of technology development at RUCDR Infinite Biologics, he led the effort to develop the COVID-19 saliva test. The test received FDA emergency use authorization as the first approved saliva diagnostic and a month later as the first of any test approved for home use.
Born and raised in New Jersey, Andy received his PhD in neuroscience from the University of Rochester and later became its director of Medical Center Core Facilities. Four years later, he returned to New Jersey to direct the joint Rutgers/University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) EOHSI Bionomics Research and Technology Center. In 2009, he became chief operating officer and director of technology development of RUCDR Infinite Biologics, which, through an asset purchase agreement, was spun out from Rutgers to create Infinity BiologiX, of which Andy became chief executive officer.
Andy co-authored more than 70 publications and played a key role in providing consultation, biobanking and analytical services to many large research projects that have yielded insights into the genomic etiology of human diseases and the effects of environmental exposures. He also served 17 years as an adviser to the FDA as director of the Harlan (now Envigo) GeneScreen Laboratory and as co-founding director of the BioProcessing Solutions Alliance.
In 2020, Andy, along with Rohit Gupta, was appointed as a Biopreservation and Biobanking Section Editor for Emerging Markets and Technologies. “Andy was a tremendous mentor to me and many others across the globe; his ability to foster collaboration and provide a platform for others was truly special,” Gupta said. Unfortunately, they had not had a chance to fully realize their vision for the new section at the time of Andy's death. In recognition of Andy's inspiring work, Gupta will be moving forward with the new section this year. Andy and Rohit wrote the April 2020 editorial for the journal, which describes the background and mission of the new section.
Andy was also a very accomplished golfer. I (J.V.) played several rounds with him over the past few years and watched in wonder as he launched long drives and otherwise made shots that I only dream of!
Andy was a good friend and colleague to ISBER and Biopreservation and Biobanking and a true visionary whose contributions to biospecimen science will be sorely missed.
Note: Much of this editorial was adapted, with permission, from an article in Rutgers Today, from January 2021.