JDRF is deeply saddened to hear that Susan L. Solomon, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF), passed away on September 8^th.

In addition to her incredible work at the NYSCF—a global leader in the development of stem cell therapies across a wide range of diseases—Solomon is a member of the T1D community. Her son was diagnosed with T1D in 1992, which led her to JDRF where she left an indelible mark.

Solomon served in a variety of roles at JDRF. For many years, she was a board member at the New York City Chapter. She was also instrumental in JDRF’s work to advocate for stem cell research at the federal level—work that served as an inspiration for her to co-found NYSCF.

“Susan was a tireless champion for science and a catalyst for the rapid acceleration of stem cell research,” said JDRF CEO Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D. “She was a force. Her passion for this work helped advance research not just in T1D but in many other diseases as well. She shared our vision of a world without T1D, and her contributions sped up the timeline for that vision becoming a reality. We will miss her.”

Read more at NYCSF.