Schuyler O’Brien was a committed scientist who worked tirelessly with the conviction that all data had the potential to become a stepping stone in cancer research. He was not content making a small contribution to the field. Rather, he was singularly focused on dedicating all of himself to finding a cure—specifically for Ewing sarcoma, a cancer he was diagnosed with at 12 years old. Schuyler’s cancer relapsed multiple times during his short life. Facing so many relapses gave Schuyler a unique perspective: he enjoyed gently and insightfully challenging his peers to work harder and better to understand the origins of childhood cancer.
Despite years of physical suffering and intellectual exertion, Schuyler maintained optimism and steadfast confidence in the power of science and in his own ability to push through difficulty to achieve his goals. Though Schuyler was often—silently and unflinchingly—in pain from cancer treatments, he conducted his work masterfully, with an obsessive yet joyful passion. Schuyler never hesitated to patiently listen or lend a hand to his colleagues and friends. We are honored to have shared in his good-natured scientific zeal. And we marvel at his ability to conduct his life, like so many people with cancer, with simultaneous cynicism and hope, agony and joy.
We continue our work in the Schiffman Lab in Schuyler’s memory. We hope to honor this young, brilliant scientist and take up his legacy of inspiring our friends, family, and colleagues to pursue greatness in all we do.