Liz Howell, longtime professor in UT’s Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, passed away April 9.
Howell was also the associate director of the program in Genome Science and Technology. She started working at UT in 1988 when she joined the College of Arts and Sciences as an associate professor and was the first woman to be recruited in her department since its founding 25 years prior. Her stellar career as an educator and researcher spanned 31 years.
Howell’s work with dihydrofolate reductase enzymes—an important target in therapies against cancer—was published in more than 90 peer-reviewed papers. Her contributions were recognized with several awards and grants, including some from the National Science Foundation, the Petroleum Research Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health. In 2014, she was recognized as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Her colleagues in the College of Arts and Sciences remembered her as an inspiration.
“We lost a colleague and inspiration, especially for women in science. She was a role model, a mentor, and an inspiration to many of us. Her legacy will live on,” said Gladys Alexandre, head of the UT Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology.
A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.