Debbie Nickerson

“I have known Debbie since the early days of the Human Genome Project. She was a forceful champion of so many things cherished by NHGRI and NIH, including significant attentiveness to training and diversity. She was also an amazing and dedicated researcher, always ready to tackle the next great challenge in genomics. I would never describe Debbie as ‘shy’ — for example, she always felt comfortable telling me what I was doing well as NHGRI Director and what I was doing not so well! I actually admired her bluntness because she had earned my respect and admiration. The origin of her advice was always from her heart and never self-serving. I will miss her very much.”

“I am saddened beyond words. Debbie, a beautiful and kind human being, was a friend and a great colleague. She served on the advisory group for the Center for Research on Genomics and Global Health and was a champion of diversity in genomics since the days of HapMap. I will miss her very much.”

“Debbie recognized early on the importance of genomic variation and estimated how much two genomes differ from each other. She was important for pushing the field of genomics to consider genomic variation.”

“Debbie was no nonsense, but very respectful of the peer review process. One of my fondest memories of her was from an applicant interview. After the applicant finished their presentation Debbie had high praise, but the last thing she said was, ‘Your application has one flaw: your research team is too insular.’ The applicant replied, ‘No we are not, and I will tell you why.’ The two of them locked horns engaged in a fierce but healthy debate. Debbie was a very powerful woman that you just had to respect.” 

“[Debbie] was a strong catalyst for the University of Washington community. I benefitted from her mentorship in the mid-2000s when she joined my dissertation committee and taught me everything there was to know about linkage disequilibrium and association studies. She knew how to ask hard questions and what each of her students needed to thrive. I will remember how she dragged half her lab to my dissertation defense to cheer me on, and also how much we all enjoyed her company at group dinners. She had a witty, visionary sensibility about her that made people pay attention, and she will definitely be missed.”

“I was fortunate enough to work with Debbie over the last several years as part of the CMG program. The CMG program was extremely successful, having identified the causal mutations underlying hundreds of rare genetic diseases, and Debbie's group at the University of Washington played such a critical role in that success. However, even the most successful efforts can be improved upon. I always enjoyed speaking with Debbie about those opportunities, and how we could take rare disease gene discovery to the next level.”

“I have known Debbie since I was a graduate student. She was exceptionally smart, exceptionally funny and exceptionally dedicated to advancing the field of genomics. She brought a perspective that was deeply grounded in genomics and an infectious ability to effectively lead and collaborate. None of the programs would have made the significant scientific advances they have without her involvement. It is hard to imagine what NHGRI consortia meetings and workshops will be like without Debbie’s presence. She could be frank while simultaneously being a supportive mentor and cheerleader for what we were trying to accomplish at NHGRI. She was a role model of how to be an advocate for women in science, and or promoting opportunities for trainees and early-stage investigators. She will be greatly missed!”

“For more than two decades, Debbie Nickerson has been a true leader in the application of genomic sequencing to precision medicine. Always pushing the existing boundaries with an infectious mix of creativity, vision, impatience, and a wicked sense of humor, Debbie exhorted herself and everyone around her to do more than they thought they could. Her imprint on genomic medicine is profound, and she will be sorely missed.”