Andrew Brooks
Born(1969-02-10)February 10, 1969
Bronxville, New York, U.S.
DiedJanuary 23, 2021(2021-01-23) (aged 51)
New York City, U.S.
Education
Known for
  • First FDA approved COVID-19 saliva-based/home-use test
SpouseJill Brooks
Children3
Scientific career
FieldsMolecular neuroscience
Institutions

Andrew Ira Brooks (February 10, 1969 – January 23, 2021) was an American immunologist, academic, and businessman. He was an associate research professor at Rutgers University and the developer of the first FDA-approved rapid saliva test for COVID-19 diagnosis.[1][2][3]

Early life

Brooks was born in Bronxville, New York, on February 10, 1969, to Phyllis (née Heitner) and Perry H. Brooks. His mother was a school teacher while his father was a diamond setter.[4] He was raised in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey and later attended Cornell University, majoring in animal sciences with the intention of becoming a veterinarian. He switched his academic focus after a summer internship at Memorial Sloan Kettering and in 2000 received a PhD from University of Rochester[4] in neuroscience.[1]

Career and research

After completing his PhD, Brooks remained at the University of Rochester, later becoming director of Medical Center Core Facilities.[5] Four years later, he returned to New Jersey to work at Rutgers,[4] joining the faculties of Environmental Medicine and Genetics, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, and Toxicology.[6]

In 2009, Brooks began working at the Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository (RUCDR), a university-company for data management and research analysis.[7] He eventually became CEO of the company and it became a private entity, now called Sampled, in 2018.[8] He was also the chief science officer for Spectrum Solutions.[9] He was a member of the New Jersey Economic Advisory Council,[10] and the director of the Bionomics Research and Technology Center (BRTC) at the Environmental and Occupational Health Science Institute of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.[11]

For 17 years he was director of the Harlan (now Envigo) GeneScreen Laboratory, and as an advisor to the Food and Drug Administration.[12]

Brooks was also both COO and director of technology of RUCDR Infinite Biologics. At RUCDR, he developed a saliva-spit test for COVID-19 as an alternative to naso- or oropharyngeal swab tests which both increased speed of results and minimized the need for medical professionals to be involved in the testing process.[13] He used the capabilities built up to perform genetic tests through saliva and adapted the same techniques to extract the necessary RNA from the virus.[4] The test received emergency use authorization from the FDA in April 2020,[14][15] making it the first at-home test to be approved by federal authorities.[16][17] In addition to designing the saliva test he commercialized the test and scaled production operations to meet the rollout demands.[4] More than 4 million people have used the test.[5]

He co-authored over 70 publications, with over 1000 citations in literature.[12] In addition to his work on COVID-19, his research included investigations of the molecular mechanisms that underlie memories and learning, which involved studies on gene-environment interaction, including those in neurodegenerative diseases; as well as high throughput sample analysis[18] and biobanking.[1]

Personal life

Brooks was married to Jil Brooks. Brooks had three daughters from two previous marriages.[1][19] He was a golf enthusiast, playing often with his father and participating successfully in international tournaments as an amateur.[1]

Brooks died of a heart attack on January 23, 2021.[20] New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy lauded him as an "unsung hero".[21]

Published works

  • Wagner, Victoria E.; Bushnell, Daniel; Passador, Luciano; Brooks, Andrew I.; Iglewski, Barbara H. (April 1, 2003). "Microarray Analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum-Sensing Regulons: Effects of Growth Phase and Environment". Journal of Bacteriology. 185 (7): 2080–2095. doi:10.1128/JB.185.7.2080-2095.2003. ISSN 0021-9193. PMC 151498. PMID 12644477.
  • Welle, Stephen; Brooks, Andrew I.; Delehanty, Joseph M.; Needler, Nancy; Thornton, Charles A. (July 7, 2003). "Gene expression profile of aging in human muscle". Physiological Genomics. 14 (2): 149–159. doi:10.1152/physiolgenomics.00049.2003. ISSN 1094-8341. PMID 12783983.
  • Yao, Pamela J; Zhu, Min; Pyun, Eunice I; Brooks, Andrew I; Therianos, Stavros; Meyers, Victoria E; Coleman, Paul D (March 1, 2003). "Defects in expression of genes related to synaptic vesicle trafficking in frontal cortex of Alzheimer's disease". Neurobiology of Disease. 12 (2): 97–109. doi:10.1016/S0969-9961(02)00009-8. ISSN 0969-9961. PMID 12667465. S2CID 13102389.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Buccino, Neal (January 26, 2021). "Mourning the Death of Rutgers' Andrew Brooks, a Leader in the Fight Against COVID-19". Rutgers.edu. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  2. ↑ Snyder, Alec (January 31, 2021). "Andrew Brooks, who led development of the first FDA-approved Covid-19 saliva test, dies at 51". CNN. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Andrew Brooks, Designer of COVID-19 Saliva Test, Dies at 51". The Scientist Magazine.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Risen, Clay (January 31, 2021). "Andrew Brooks, Who Developed a Coronavirus Spit Test, Dies at 51". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Rutgers professor who led development of COVID-19 saliva test dies at 51". www.phillyvoice.com. January 27, 2021. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  6. ↑ "In Memoriam: Andrew I. Brooks (1969–2021)". Rutgers.edu. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Scientist Spotlight: Andrew Brooks, PhD". Behind the Bench. April 10, 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  8. ↑ CNN, Alec Snyder. "Andrew Brooks, who led development of the first FDA-approved Covid-19 saliva test, dies at 51". Albany Herald. Retrieved February 1, 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  9. ↑ "Spectrum Solutions Mourns the Death of Dr. Andrew Brooks". www.businesswire.com. January 29, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Speaker Coughlin on Passing of Rutgers Research Pioneer Andrew Brooks". New Jersey Assembly Democrats. January 26, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Andrew Brooks Bioprocessing Solutions Alliance". Precision Medicine World Conference 2017 Duke. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Andrew Brooks Obituary – Manalapan, NJ". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  13. ↑ Garcia, Victor (April 14, 2020). "Rutgers professor describes his saliva test for coronavirus: 'You simply have to spit into a tube'". Fox News. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  14. ↑ Coleman, Justine (January 31, 2021). "Rutgers researcher who developed first COVID-19 saliva test dies". TheHill. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  15. ↑ Staff, MedTech Intelligence (April 14, 2020). "Rutgers University Granted EUA for Saliva Test for Coronavirus". MedTech Intelligence. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  16. ↑ Murphy, Justin. "Andrew Brooks, former URMC doctor who created first saliva COVID test, dies". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Dr. Andrew Brooks, Rutgers scientist who developed first COVID spit test, passes away, school announces". KMGH. January 28, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Andrew Brooks – Research". rutgers.edu. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Rutgers Professor – Andrew Brooks". www.phillyvoice.com. January 27, 2021. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Andrew Brooks, who led development of the first FDA-approved Covid-19 saliva test, dies at 51". KNBR. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  21. ↑ Chung, Gabrielle (January 27, 2021). "Rutgers Scientist Who Developed COVID Spit Test Dies Unexpectedly at 51: He 'Undoubtedly Saved Lives'". Health.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
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