The IDIES community is saddened by the loss of such a young trailblazer in computational biology and genomics research. He will be remembered for his ‘transformational’ and ‘immeasurable’ contributions to our community.

James Taylor, a professor of biology and computer science at Johns Hopkins University, died Thursday, April 2. He was 40.

A trailblazer in computational biology and genomics research, Taylor made an impact as a scientist, teacher, and colleague, with appointments in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering. He helped develop the Galaxy platform for data analysis and worked with members of his lab to extend the platform to make large scale computational analysis more accessible and reproducible. His research also focused on understanding genomic and epigenomic regulation of gene transcription through integrated analysis, with the goal of achieving a complete understanding of the structure and function of genomes. He also developed a strategy to support the health of the Chesapeake Bay by detecting microorganisms in the Baltimore Harbor and monitoring their levels continuously using newly developed, portable, and rapid DNA sequencing technologies.

To read the complete official press release form Johns Hopkins University.