Hello, my name is Jill Wright.  Neil was not only my supervisor but a friend and honorary member of the family.  Deborah asked me to speak about Neil regarding his time at GI/Wyeth/Pfizer. Any one of us could tell stories about the things Neil did and said that would make us all laugh - from him making the rounds to talk shop or family with everyone on Friday afternoons (or any other day of the week) - we truly did not need instant message/Chat with Neil around.  To all the lunch conversations that covered any and all topics; nothing was off the table. Lucky for us, the rules for what you could or could not say was not around at that time or we would all have huge HR folders. But let’s be honest, we learned a lot about each other’s cultures and religion from these conversations, and by sharing - we grew even closer.

We not only respected Neil for his intellect but also for his desire to help and mentor everyone he met.  He truly wanted to help others because he cared. We all have stories where Neil has impacted our lives specifically, but it was the things that he did, which were not required of his job, that earned him the greatest respect from all.  Examples include: arranging a memorial service for Barb Sibley and everything he did for Xiaoke when Xiaoke was diagnosed with cancer; hospital visits, talking to doctors about treatment plans, trying to get Xiaoke’s wife a Visa to the US and organizing the memorial service.  He did not do these things for selfish reasons, he did them because he truly cared about others and he wanted the best for everyone.

I know that one of Neil’s hardest days at Pfizer was in February 2012 when he had the unpleasant job of laying off part of his group including me.  A week later Neil and I went out to lunch at the Cheesecake factory (I let Neil paid for the meal) and even though it was not Valentine’s day the waitress asked if we were there celebrating anything.  In true Neil fashion, he was able to take his most difficult day at Pfizer and make a waitress uncomfortable by informing her that I was not his wife, his wife did not know he was here and that he had fired me a week ago.  She left not knowing what to believe and we both had a good laugh.

Neil would also make us laugh by telling us stories about how protective his mom was, and he would give parenting advice stating, “don’t raise your kids as I was raised, or they will turn out like me”.  He would always laugh as he made this statement. BUT - would it be so bad to raise a child that was not only respected for his intellect but also respected for his selfless actions. Neil was caring, sympathetic, and showed empathy.  He always helped others. I would be proud if my kids were raised to have these same characteristics that Neil always displayed.

Neil Wolfman was a brilliant, compassionate and funny man who I was fortunate to have as a friend for most of my life.

Although we both attended Bronx High School of Science, Neil and I did not get to know each other well until we began college at NYU in the Bronx. We were in first year chemistry class together where I quickly learned how brilliant Neil was. He rarely took notes, absorbed everything that we were taught, excelled at exams, and tutored his friends. As chemistry majors, we were in class together through college, where Neil continued to exhibit how very bright he was. 

We played a fair amount of tennis through the years and although Neil did not start playing until he was in his twenties he excelled largely due to his very intelligent play.

For most of us commuters, NYU was an extension of high school and we made our own entertainment. Neil was the primary entertainer. He was hysterical. He could have given Rodney Dangerfield a run for his money. He would hold court and have our small group of friends in hysterics. Much of his humor was self deprecating. Neil was the only child of holocaust survivors and lived in a one bedroom apartment with very sweet, older parents. He would, hysterically, describe his lack of privacy since his bedroom was the living room. He told us that his only toy was string that he was told to cut up and then pretend that each piece was a different subway train. He described how much of his social life revolved around attending burial society meetings with his parents and extended family. We would sit outside the student center and openly discuss everything including our personal lives. Neil was a great listener and advisor. 

We developed a closeness that continued over our lifetime even though we lived in different cities, were both very busy and, at times, wouldn't speak for months. Neil was an extremely loyal friend. When I went through my divorce in 2008 he would call and check on me and was extremely supportive.

On one very memorable evening during college, Neil and I were set up on a blind date a distance away on Long Island. This date was presented as a huge opportunity for two young men. We drove the long drive together in my car and took the girls out to dinner. We then drove back to one of the girl's houses. I parked the car. One of the girls invited us in for coffee and cake. Before Neil got to respond, I quickly said that I was not interested in coffee or cake. The evening ended right then. I can still hear Neil asking " What were you thinking?" I deserved a punch in the nose but Neil was pretty kind even in his criticism. We discussed this evening many times in our lives and I laughed out loud every time.

When we spoke through the years it was clear how much Neil loved Debra and their children. He discussed the intellectual challenge and at times the frustration of his biochemical research. He told me repeatedly how rewarding his teaching position was and how thrilled he was to be appreciated by his students and to receive awards for teaching. He loved his students and the relationships that he developed with them. Teaching at Boston College was an enormous highlight of his life.

Life is short but it was much too short for Neil. Neil didn't deserve the suffering that he went through. I wish that Debra and the rest of Neil's family could have enjoyed many more years with him. However, Neil enriched the lives of so many people and will be fondly remembered by so many for the rest of their lives. Neil will be sorely missed by me. I am very fortunate to have been friends with Neil Wolfman, a wonderful human being.

Neil Wolfman was a cherished friend for over 25 Years. We built a synagogue together, enjoyed many social events together, and just the two of us spent countless hours together. The latter is what I will remember most dearly about him, and want to share this with you. After my divorce, Neil took it upon himself to console me in a way that was unparalleled by any of my friends or family. Every Saturday after shul, he faithfully walked me around the Natick mall in winter and around the streets of Dover in the warmer weather, listening to my unhappiness for hours on end. He was a listener, and very good at it. He did not interrupt, he did not offer platitudes, he did not try to simplify or trivialize my feelings and only occasionally commented with enormous empathy and without being judgmental. This walking and listening went on for many months, and it got me through a very difficult time in my life... Neil Wolfman was many fine things during the terribly shortened span of his life, but to me he lived and exemplified the definition of what a friend is. I will never forget his kindness and depth of feeling.

Neil set a great example to others on how to conduct their lives with integrity, empathy, compassion and honest but supportive criticism. Neil was a memorable character and friend to both of us from the “GI days”.  We have so many fond memories of him, his collaboration, his scientific capabilities and achievements, and his wry sense of humor. We want to share just a couple of the many stories we could tell, that convey how he touched our lives.

I (Rod) first got to know Neil when he joined my lab in C1985, when GI moved from the Boston Lying In Hospital to Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge and he remained in my lab until approximately 2000 at the time of an internal reorganization related to Wyeth’s ownership of GI.  Neil was an extremely bright, hardworking research science of high integrity, who was always keen to suggest new project opportunities for the laboratory due to his wide range of interests and extraordinary ability to network with many people inside and outside GI.  He was also prepared to take on less glamorous projects that were vital to the success of GI.  He always seemed to minimize his major contributions in the lab but was very willing to give praise to other more junior people.  On the lighter side, Neil was a great storyteller and impersonator and everyone he knew was in peril of being a victim of his impersonations!  But his wry, self-deprecating sense of humor belied his compassion and real concern for others.

I (Bonnie) first encountered Neil at GI shortly after joining the company in 1989.  We were both working on the BMP-2 team and I had to present data on monoclonal antibodies that my department had developed.  The data were inconsistent with what was expected, and, in the course of my presentation, it became apparent that the antibodies we had developed were most likely not to the target protein, but to an impurity.  The team was disappointed, and I left the meeting feeling discouraged and humiliated.  A few hours later, Neil showed up at my office door and just asked “how can I help”?  He offered to provide some purified materials that helped put the project (and most likely my career at GI!) back on track.  There are many similar experiences with Neil’s collaboration, but I always remembered this first instance of the generosity he was willing to extend to a new employee who was in danger of failing. 

Way back in 1991 Neil acted as matchmaker for us, helping us start a romantic relationship with each-other that has lasted 29 years and counting.  Long after, when we ran into Neil he would ask how things were going with us and would typically remark that he was pleased we were still together and considered this one of his greatest achievements (as usual, down-playing all of his other ones). 

Neil [once] confessed to me at that time that his biggest professional disappointment was that there was no FDA approved drug that he could point to that he had worked on.  [As a fellow pharmaceutical biochemist], I certainly could appreciate his disappointment. But I think the jury may still be out on this. 

The only time our professional paths crossed after leaving Cornell was when our two companies, Pfizer and Ensemble Therapeutics were collaborating to find inhibitors of a protein called interleukin 17 as a treatment for psoriasis.  Neil had published research that he had done on the basic biochemistry of interleukin 17 and its role in inflammation disorders.  Neil was the project leader for Pfizer in our collaboration to find compounds that would inhibit interleukin 17 and I was in charge of cellular assays to validate the activity of these compounds.  As is typically the case in drug discovery programs, there were many twists and turns and ultimately the program was acquired by Novartis.  To my knowledge they are still working on this program at Novartis.  Then just last week, I learned that other companies, I think including Pfizer included, have begun to work on this program after the structures of the compounds we discovered were published by the patent office.  So there is still a realistic chance that something that we worked on together may end up becoming a drug.

My prediction is this: someday one of the students Neil has taught or a colleague who benefited from his example will go on to take the knowledge and wisdom imparted and translate that into a new drug.  This will be his professional legacy.  I’m confident that this prediction will soon be fulfilled.

Neil and I first worked together at Genetics Institute in the DNA diagnostics program, so I knew him for over 30 years.  He always cared about the people with whom he worked.  In fact, when I was out on maternity leave in 1986 for the birth of my first son, he came by to personally tell me that our program  had been brought to an end. This was so thoughtful of him.

Neil and I shared some scientific adventures.  In fact, on one weekend, Celia, Hannah and Willie came to my house to play with my two sons, while Neil went into the lab to finish a key experiment in purifying a protein of shared interest. 

Neil went on to do groundbreaking work on bone morphogenic proteins, and was a world expert on BMP protein biochemistry.  He and his team later made key discoveries about cytokine proteins.  He was an outstanding protein biochemist and always a knowledge resource for our entire department.

Neil was one of the most caring supervisors that I worked with.  He worried about career development opportunities for not only his folks, but for others in the department.  Every year he would offer to get a lower salary increase himself, and propose that the money be used to raise the salary of others whom he felt needed the money more than he did.  That is who he was.

Recently, Neil had frequent lunches with Kyri, Matt and me.  Although we reminisced about our shared work, we also heard much from Neil about his love of teaching at Boston College.

And we heard about his family, who were so important to him. We heard of your travels, your special birthdays, graduations, your weddings, your new jobs and he shared his excitement with the news of grandchildren on their way.  He loved you all, and shared that with us.

Neil truly made the world a better place.

My very first exam at Boston College was in Professor Wolfman's General Chemistry I. I can distinctly remember walking into Devlin the morning of the exam to Professor Wolfman in an all-black suit and a playlist of music that perfectly matched the already tense tone of the room. The playlist ended just in time for the exam to begin, as Professor Wolfman had planned.

I knew I failed the exam as soon as I turned it in, and I left the classroom feeling like I did not deserve to be a pre-med student. After I got the exam back, Professor Wolfman took the time to sit down with me and go over what went wrong. We discussed the ways that I could improve my study habits, better manage my test anxiety, and he convinced me not to give up.

I will be starting med school in July, and so much of that is due to Professor Wolfman going above and beyond as a professor and mentor. He had such a profound impact on me and so many other students. We have lost a wonderful person, but he left a legacy that will be felt for many years to come.

It is Exam Day (9/28/2019). I walk into Devlin 008, an upbeat song plays in the background.  He was always playing music to start the class.  I take my seat and take a breath.  I’m nervous.  Anyone who’s heard anything about this course knows that Professor Wolfman is a real tough professor.  He gives me a nod.  Then I hear a bell and a strum of the guitar.  It’s one of my favorite songs, Show Me What I’m Looking For by Carolina Liar.  We both start smiling.  He can see my feet tapping and we hold eye contact for some time.  His eyes begin to wander around the room.  I keep looking at him.  Observing his visible emotions, I see such a passion for teaching and a gratitude for being in such a position.  He is singing, eyes beaming.  They are glossy, nearly sending a tear down his cheek.  It's not sadness that I see, it’s love.  He loves teaching and everything that comes with it.