After major advances in hematology, David Bodine retires with an eye towards mentorship and a garden

When David M. Bodine, Ph.D., arrived at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a postdoctoral fellowship in Arthur Nienhuis's laboratory in the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, he thought he was only going to stay for a year or two and then venture elsewhere to start his own research group.

Two years passed. And then his enjoyment of the science, resources, mentorship and local collegiality led to another 36 years. In that time, Dr. Bodine founded and led the Hematopoiesis Section at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and was later named chief of NHGRI's Genetics and Molecular Biology Branch.

Dr. Bodine's scientific career was first set on course in college, when two professors recognized his interest in biology. Those professors became his mentors, sensing his potential beyond what Dr. Bodine considered a sub-par academic record. These mentors encouraged his interest and abilities in research, and through their guidance and encouragement, Dr. Bodine saw the expanding opportunities in science and embarked on what would become an impressive research career.

After graduating from Colby College with a bachelor's degree in 1976, Dr. Bodine completed a master's degree at Rutgers University. He then obtained a Ph.D. at the Jackson Laboratory, where he began studying diseases of blood cells. Such diseases would later become the focus of his scientific endeavors at NIH.

Throughout his career, Dr. Bodine's accomplishments have furthered the genetic understanding of blood disorders and opened avenues for more effective treatments. Among his contributions, he identified the genomic mutations that cause Diamond Blackfan anemia, a condition in which patients cannot produce enough red blood cells. Each new piece of the genetic puzzle helps diagnose more patients with this condition at a molecular level, expanding patients' options for the bone marrow donations needed for treatment.

Dr. Bodine contributed to both biological insights about disease-causing mutations and the ability to overcome the effects of such mutations through gene therapy. He took part in the first successful gene transfer studies in a primate, an important step in the development of gene therapies for human use.

Throughout his scientific career, Dr. Bodine has aspired to create the same positive impact for his trainees that his mentors provided for him. His efforts have not escaped recognition, as he has been named NHGRI Mentor of the Year three times, the NHGRI record for this award.

With a sense of humor and a vision for the future, Dr. Bodine reflected on his career, mentorship and the fields of gene therapy and hematology in a recent interview with science writer Anna Rogers.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.