Ira B. Black 1941–2006

In his book The Dying of Enoch Wallace, Ira Black writes about the devastating consequences of Alzheimer's disease upon a successful Wall Street banker named Enoch Wallace. By describing the symptoms of the disease along with research discoveries in neurobiology, Black paints a picture of the future when neurology and neuroscience will conquer diseases of the brain. Unfortunately, Ira did not live to see his dreams fulfilled, as he unexpectedly passed away on January 10, 2006, at the age of 64. Born in New York City and educated at Columbia College and Harvard Medical School, Ira started his research career with Julius Axelrod at the National Institute of Mental Health. In a fruitful series of studies with Axelrod in the late 1960s, Ira found that tyrosine trans-aminase was regulated by circadian rhythms and by norepinephrine. Ira became enamored with synapses that use catecholamines as neurotransmitters. He extended these studies with Leslie Iverson at Trinity College in Cambridge by pursuing neurotransmitter identity during sympathetic cervical ganglion differentiation. During this period, he met Ian Hendry, with whom Ira became fascinated by the role of NGF as a target-derived survival factor. These research experiences laid the foundation for his work in the next three decades. Ira was a visionary scientist who bridged the eras of catecholamine research to neurotransmitter plasticity and beyond. From the study of neurotrophic factors, he made the leap to neuronal plasticity and then to the generation of stem cells. Trained as a neurologist, Ira wisely chose early in his career to study the developmental history of sympathetic neurons. He showed that changes in catecholaminergic phenotype occurred not only during development, but also in adult ganglia as a result of depolarization, injury, and hormonal changes. Driven by an innate curiosity, he demonstrated that an understanding of developmental neurobiology would yield insights into the mature nervous system, including the processes of neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, and neurodegenerative disorders. Ira leaves a lasting legacy with the large number of students and fellows that he trained. Everyone who came under his spell felt his enthusiasm and excitement for experimental science. His ability to communicate was unparalleled. At Cornell University Medical College, where he was Chief of the Laboratory of Developmental Neurology from 1971 to 1990, Ira regularly taught medical students and residents. In lectures, he spoke with a cadence that mesmerized students. Asking questions at every turn, he forced the audience to also ask questions. …