Sanford-Burnham faculty and staff are mourning the loss of Jan Tuttleman, an Institute trustee and supporter, whose academic pursuits were matched by her passion for medical research.  Jan passed away earlier this week.

“On behalf of Sanford-Burnham’s faculty, staff, and trustees, I want to express our deep sadness over Jan’s passing and our sincere appreciation for all that she brought to the Institute,” said CEO John Reed, M.D., Ph.D. “Jan was not only a devoted trustee, she was also a good friend to many at the Institute.”Jan’s passionate community involvement is recognized by many throughout San Diego. She devoted significant time and resources to supporting the life sciences as well as championing women’s causes. Having obtained a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from the UCSD Rady School of Management, Jan believed in the value of education and was passionate about making a difference in people’s lives. As a Sanford-Burnham trustee since 2007, Jan served as an Advisory Board Member to The Fishman Fund and was a proponent of our Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, two programs that focus on the advancement of young scientists.

“Jan was a founding member of Sanford-Burnham’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Community Advisory Committee. She had been with us since the beginning of the program, and always championed bettering the education of our students, which we all greatly appreciated,” said Guy Salvesen, Ph.D., professor and dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. “She recognized that the graduate program offers students an opportunity to start their first year working with superb Sanford-Burnham scientists and that the program also benefits faculty who enjoy the opportunity to teach and train the next generation of scientists. Everyone involved in the program will miss her dearly.”

During her tenure as a trustee, Jan provided experienced leadership and service on a variety of Institute committees, helping to shape the Institute’s approach to commercializing discoveries and fundraising. She was also a generous supporter and active participant in many of the Institute’s special events.

In addition to her support of the Institute, Jan was also actively involved with the San Diego Jewish Community Foundation, the San Diego United Jewish Federation, and was the founding chair of the Jewish Women’s Foundation of San Diego. She was a board member of Vision of Children, the Rady School of Management Alumni Association, and San Diego Grantmakers.

She is survived by her husband, Craig, and four children.