Steven D. Douglas, MD, 85, passed away peacefully at his home in Philadelphia, PA on March 13, 2024. A loving husband, brother, father, grandfather, and uncle, Dr. Douglas was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York to Felice and Albert Douglas. As the son, grandson, and great-grandson of physicians, Dr. Douglas followed in his forefathers’ footsteps and graduated with his medical degree from Cornell University in 1963. He completed his residency in medicine at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and his fellowship in immunology at the University of California, San Francisco in 1969. During a remarkable career that spanned over 60 years, Dr. Douglas dedicated his life to the study of cellular immunology, with a particular focus on immunodeficiencies and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Beginning early in his career, he developed procedures for the diagnosis of immune deficiency diseases. In the 1970s, he developed laboratory techniques to investigate two types of important immune cells: monocytes and macrophages. His more recent research explored the neuroimmunology of HIV/AIDS and led to the development of novel targets for the treatment of viral inflammation and infection. A prolific and dedicated scientist, Dr. Douglas has shared his knowledge with the scientific community in over 500 published articles and book chapters, which have been cited by over 13,000 references. His methods and laboratory processes have been applied by researchers throughout the world. He received continuous research funding for the past five decades from various centers within the National Institutes of Health and has collaborated with many international researchers. Dr. Douglas spent the majority of his remarkable career at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as Professor of Pediatrics (Allergy/Immunology) at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He served as the Chief of the Section of Immunology and as the Medical Director for the Immunogenetics Laboratory, and he held leadership roles in various professional societies. He has received numerous recognitions and awards during his 45 years at the University of Pennsylvania. As dedicated as he was to his work, Dr. Douglas was even more committed to his family. Dr. Douglas is survived by his wife of 44 years, Mary Ann Forciea, MD, as well as his sister and brother-in-law, Florence and Richard Bank; his two daughters and their husbands, Hope Douglas Wisman, VMD, and Michael Wisman; Anne Douglas, MD, and Evan Eisler, DMD; his grandsons, Simon and Nathan Eisler; and his two nephews, Jonathan and Brian Bank.
Funeral services will be held on Sunday, March 17th.
Donations may be made to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; please indicate Dr. Steven Douglas Education Fund on the memo line.