ATLANTA — Stephen T. Warren, the founding and former chair of Emory School of Medicine’s Department of Human Genetics, has died at his home in Atlanta.
Professor Warren passed away on June 6 at the age of 67. Warren is known for his contributions to the world’s understanding of fragile X syndrome, a leading cause of inherited intellectual disability and autism.
Warren led an international effort to identify the gene mutation responsible for the syndrome, paving the way to find more efficient treatments. Warren’s research at Emory University mainly focused on the mechanistic understanding of the syndrome.
Warren discovered the learning and memory protein, whose production is affected by the mutated gene. This allowed him to develop the first diagnostic test for fragile X and lead clinical trials to develop drugs to treat the condition.
Before his passing, Warren and his collaborators initiated a project to identify the genetic origins that predispose some individuals to schizophrenia.
“Dr. Warren was a remarkable scientist and human being. His research transformed the lives of patients and families grappling with fragile X syndrome. His passing is a huge loss for the Emory community and beyond,” says Jan Love, Emory’s interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.
“I had the pleasure of knowing Dr. Warren for only a few years but was immediately struck by how gifted a scientist, leader, mentor, and friend he was. He encouraged me to think boldly for the Emory School of Medicine. We owe him a lasting debt for his immense contributions to the school and to science broadly. We will miss him,” says Vikas Sukhatme, School of Medicine Dean, recounting his first impressions of Warren.
Warren was the Charles Howard Candler Chair of Human Genetics and the William Patteson Timmie Professor of Human Genetics at Emory. Earlier in his career, Warren joined the School of Medicine as an assistant professor in 1985 in the Departments of Biochemistry and Pediatrics and was promoted to associate professor in 1991 and full professor in 1993. In 2020, Warren stepped down as department chair after 35 years of service to Emory.
Warren is survived by his wife, Dr. Karen Warren; his son, Thomas Warren; and his son’s fiancée, Desiree Chand.