Dr. Oliver Smithies, UNC’s first full-time faculty member to win a Nobel Prize, passed away Tuesday at UNC Hospitals at age 91, the university announced.

Smithies won the Nobel Prize in in physiology or medicine in 2007.

“Oliver Smithies was such a loving, wonderful force for all things good in this world,” said Chancellor Carol L. Folt in a release announcing Smithies’ passing. “Spending time with Oliver and Nobuyo has been one of the highlights of my tenure at Carolina. Every time I saw the two of them together, I was uplifted and inspired by their relationship, joyful attitude to life and generosity of spirit.”

“Our dear friend and colleague, Dr. Smithies, was a giant and a wonderful human being. The UNC School of Medicine is much the better for his time with us,” said Dr. William L. Roper, dean and Bondurant Professor, School of Medicine, and chief executive officer of UNC Health Care.

“Oliver was a truly remarkable person with a joy for life and science. His brilliance was paired with infectious enthusiasm that inspired everyone around him,” said Dr. J. Charles Jennette, Kenneth M. Brinkhous Distinguished Professor and chair of the department of pathology and laboratory medicine.

“It was an honor to have Dr. Smithies as my colleague and to have collaborated with him at UNC,” said UNC’s second Nobel Laureate Dr. Aziz Sancar, Sarah Graham Kenan Distinguished Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics. “He was a true scholar and a gentleman, an inspiration to all of us here and to scientists around the world. I feel especially lucky to have gotten to spend so much time with him over the past year due to our connection as UNC Nobel Prize recipients. I will miss him greatly.”

Dr. Norman E. Sharpless, director of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, said Smithies played a critical role in the University’s evolution into a world-leading scientific juggernaut. “While many people contributed to that progress, Oliver was one of the most important, by providing the example of research excellence,” Dr. Norman E. Sharpless, director of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center said. “His discoveries in gel electrophoresis and gene targeting inspired a generation of biologists, including me.”

Dr. Oliver Smithies (left) and Dr. Aziz Sancar (right ) with their Nobel medals. Photo via Blake Hodge.

Smithies was still active on the UNC campus, continuing research in his lab. Smithies and Sancar appeared together at a ceremony last year to donate both of their medals to the university for a year-long exhibit.

Related Stories
‹
Nobel Prize Winner Moving Closer to Opening Turkish Cultural Center in Chapel Hill
The groundbreaking for Chapel Hill’s new Turkish Cultural Center took place late last month. The center, which was approved by the Chapel Hill Town Council unanimously in November of 2016, is the long time vision of Gwen and Aziz Sancar, the latter of which is a native of Turkey and the winner of the 2015 […]
UNC Opens Nobel Prize Exhibit
A larger-than-expected crowd of faculty members and students gathered at Davis Library in the heart of the UNC campus on Wednesday to hear from the university’s two Nobel Prize winners – Dr. Oliver Smithies and Dr. Aziz Sancar. While introducing the laureates, Chancellor Carol Folt said that the library was the perfect place for such […]
Nobel Prize Winner Donates Prize Money to Chapel Hill Foundation
Aziz Sancar, the UNC professor who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry this year, is under contract with the Nobel Foundation to donate the entire share of his award money to the Aziz & Gwen Sancar Foundation of Chapel Hill, the university announced Friday. Sancar is from Turkey and has been at UNC since 1982, […]
UNC Researcher Wins Nobel Prize
A UNC researcher has won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Aziz Sancar was one of three recipients of the award from the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden, announced on Wednesday. Sancar spoke with WCHL’s Blake Hodge about winning the award. Listen below:   Sancar is the Sarah Graham Kenan Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at […]
The Morning News: Chatham Vs. Enbridge, 53 CHCCS Applications, UNC Falling
In today's news: Chatham County Commissioners take a stand against the proposed Enbridge natural gas pipeline.
UNC Football Players Charged with Carrying Concealed Handgun, Speeding After Traffic Stop
UNC football player Keeyun Chapman was arrested for carrying a concealed handgun and teammate C.J. Sadler was cited for speeding during a traffic stop Tuesday night in Chapel Hill. The police report for Chapman’s arrest notes the traffic stop took place at 1050 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard at 9:30 p.m. The charge against him […]
How OWASA's Reclaimed Water System Extends the Lifespan of Local Water Sources
Built 17 years ago to improve the community’s drinking water resilience, it has saved the county billions of gallons of drinking water. 
The Morning News: Mark Chilton Retiring, UNC Returning
In today's news: longtime Orange County Register of Deeds Mark Chilton announces he's stepping down, a few months before the end of his term.
Merritt's Grill Opening Second Location in Chapel Hill; Einstein Bros. Bagels Opening First
Merritt’s Grill, whose BLT sandwiches have been a staple of the Chapel Hill culinary scene since the restaurant opened in 1992, is opening a second location at Finley Golf Club. The restaurant will provide dine-in, to-go and catering services inside the newly refurbished Finley clubhouse and will be open to both players and non-players. An […]
The Morning News: Legion Road, ArtsOrange, Jason Johnson, Bill Belichick
In today's news: Chapel Hill provides an update on the future of its 36-acre property on Legion Road, with a pond slated for removal.
›