Body of scientist found in Greece
An American biologist and Oakland native was found dead on the Greek island of Crete on Monday night, the institute in Dresden, Germany, where she was a researcher announced Tuesday.
Suzanne Eaton, 59, a scientist at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics and also a professor at Technical University of Dresden, disappeared July 2 while at a conference in Chania, Crete, on the northwestern side of the island. Her body was found Monday by Greek police, the Planck Institute said in a statement.
“We are deeply shocked and disturbed by this tragic event,” the statement said. “Suzanne was an
outstanding and inspiring scientist, a loving spouse and mother, an athlete, as well as a truly wonderful person beloved to us all.”
A Facebook page run by a family member said the avid runner was believed to have gone for a run Monday afternoon. Eaton’s colleagues became alarmed when she didn’t show up for a talk she had planned to attend that evening, missed the next morning’s session, and didn’t go to an afternoon cycling appointment with a friend. Police are investigating her death.
Eaton received a doctorate in microbiology from UCLA and did postdoctoral research in developmental biology at UCSF, where she worked with Professor Tom Kornberg from 1988 to 1993. She identified and characterized genes in fruit flies that have homologous structures in humans.
“She’s continued to do beautiful, innovative, imaginative and important work on a number of topics, including the hedgehog pathway, which his involved in so many different human diseases, including numerous cancers,” Kornberg said Tuesday.
Eaton was an accomplished pianist, and they shared an interest in music, Kornberg said.
“In addition to her science, she was just a wonderful person.”
She held a black belt in tae kwon do and is married to British scientist Anthony Hyman and had two sons, Max and Luke. Eaton’s family declined to comment.