In Memoriam: Andrew Schwartz

By Yatrik Shah Professor, Molecular & Integrative Physiology

Ifirst had the pleasure of meeting Andrew when he rotated in our lab during his first year as a PhD student in MIP, and I was immediately struck by his impressive intelligence and his tenacious approach to his rotation project. I was overjoyed when he decided to join our lab. Over the course of his almost 4.5 years in the lab, Andrew went on to secure all the major awards that can be bestowed upon our graduate students. After completing his first year in the program, he was awarded the Bean Fellowship in MIP, which is given to students with the best academic standing in our MIP PhD program. He also received the Davenport Research Award for the excellence of his research accomplishments in MIP. Upon graduation, he was awarded the ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award for one of the best doctoral dissertations at the entire University of Michigan in his graduating year. His drive, passion, work ethic, and scientific curiosity were truly unparalleled, and it was a joy to watch him excel.

One of Andrew's primary research focuses in the lab was to understand the regulation of intestinal iron absorption through hypoxia signaling. While there is a well-studied systemic pathway of iron regulation through the liver-derived peptide hormone hepcidin, Andrew's project took a new direction in seeking to understand how systemic signaling is integrated with local tissue iron regulation and whether these pathways can be therapeutically targeted to treat iron-related disorders. Andrew was instrumental in pioneering several techniques and concepts that were novel not only to our lab, but to the field as a whole. He even led a team of researchers to show that a small molecule in Phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment of kidney cancer can successfully reverse established iron overload in a mouse model, a discovery that was published in the prestigious Journal of Clinical Investigation. This work is sure to change the way patients with iron-related disorders are treated. In addition to his groundbreaking work on iron regulation, Andrew also focused on understanding how iron metabolism is altered in the tumor microenvironment. His research identified that cancer cells use iron differently than normal cells for efficient growth and survival, and that tumor-specific mechanisms of iron retention are critical for nucleotide biosynthesis and tumor proliferation. His findings were published in Nature Metabolism, a testament to the significant impact of his research.

Beyond his impressive research productivity, Andrew's influence could be felt on all the projects in the lab. He provided invaluable intellectual and technical input, and his generosity with his time and thoughtful responses were deeply appreciated. Whenever someone had a question about a project, they knew they could count on Andrew's undivided attention and a well-thought-out response. During lab meetings, his questions often began with the phrase "let me play devil's advocate," signaling that something profound was about to be stated, and either critical experiments were about to be proposed or alternative findings were about to be presented. I miss those interactions and am saddened that the world will not get to experience those moments. However, Andrew's fingerprints on how we do experiments and think about projects have left a lasting impact, and he will always be remembered as an invaluable member of our lab.

After completing his degree in 2019, Andrew moved on to a Novartis Innovation Postdoctoral Fellowship and rapidly moved up the ranks to Principal Scientist at the Novartis Institute For Biomedical Research. He passed away on December 1, 2022 after a courageous battle with brain cancer. Andrew’s MIP family, along with his wife Leah Abrams, parents Bob and Robin Schwartz, and brother and sister Adam and Amy Schwartz, miss Andrew’s smile, enthusiasm and generosity.

To honor Andrew, the Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology is raising funds along with a lead gift from Andrew’s family, to establish the Dr. Andrew Schwartz Award for Innovative Translational Research. This award will be awarded annually to a MIP PhD student pursuing translationally relevant research. If you would like to donate to this fund in Andrew’s memory, please do so here: https://give.communityfunded.com/o/michigan-medicine/i/memorials-and-tributes/s/in-memory-of-andrew-schwartz