John Bertram Reinitz, a University of Chicago professor known for his contributions to developmental biology, passed away on January 23 at the age of 66. Reinitz held positions in the Departments of Statistics, Ecology and Evolution, and Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology. His work was pivotal in developing a data-driven approach to understanding biological development.
"John was a fiercely independent thinker," stated Prof. Stefano Allesina, chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolution. "He went where the science brought him—without caring about the opinions of others—and attempted to crack problems that seemed insurmountable."
In the early 1990s, Reinitz introduced a systems approach to developmental biology, moving away from qualitative experiments toward constructing comprehensive datasets without specific hypotheses. This methodology has become standard practice in modern developmental biology.
Reinitz's academic journey began as an independent PhD student at Yale University, where he developed a mathematical model challenging existing views on viral gene regulation. His career included significant contributions during his time at Columbia University and Stony Brook University before joining the University of Chicago in 2011.
Stephen Stigler, Ernest DeWitt Burton Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Statistics, remarked: "John personified a major tenet of our department—that statistics flourishes when engaged with serious scientific problems and vice versa."
Reinitz applied his modeling techniques across various fields including evolutionary biology and machine learning. His latest research involved single-molecule techniques to study gene regulation fluctuations.
Known for his engaging personality and wit, Reinitz had diverse interests ranging from music to science fiction literature. He dedicated part of his work to Jerry Garcia after the musician's passing.
Reinitz is survived by his wife Dr. Ilene Reinitz and daughter Julia Reinitz.
The article is adapted from an obituary by Johannes Jaeger and Manu, two former students of John Reinitz.