Tribute to Robert Handa, Ph.D.

Robert J Handa, Ph.D. completed his B.A. at California State University in 1976 in zoology, Master’s degree in animal physiology at the University of Arizona, and doctorate at UCLA in Anatomy and neuroendocrinology, where he trained with one of the original scientists mapping out the sexual differentiation of the brain. There, as well as during his postdoctoral fellowship at Oregon Regional Primate Center, he pioneered studies of the sexual differentiation of the brain which defined his career and the field. His work was at the intersection of anatomy, neuroendocrinology, environment, behavior, and molecular neuroscience, detailing complex relationships between the impact of sex on neuroanatomy and function through the lifespan, beginning in fetal development.  

In 1998, he became faculty at Colorado State University (CSU), where he spent 10 years before moving back in 2008 to University of Arizona, Phoenix to launch a new medical school. There he was one of the founding faculty of the Department of Basic Medical Sciences, shaping medical curriculum and training the next generation of scientists and physicians, in particular around the important impact of sex. In 2015, he returned to CSU, where he served as interim chair of the Biomedical Sciences, during the challenging time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bob’s contributions to hormonal regulation of brain development and consequential sex differences in behavior and physiology across organ systems have been critical to understanding mechanisms underlying sex differences in medicine. His seminal work extended to translation work in humans - an ORWH P50 SCOR from 2007-2013 (P50 MH082679), with Drs. Jill Goldstein and Stuart Tobet, on prenatal stress models of sex differences in the risk for depression, a program project with Dr. Goldstein from AZ (ADHS14-00003606, 2014-2017) on fetal risk factors for obesity and comorbid depression, and his leadership roles with Drs. Goldstein and Tobet on the current U54 SCORE MH118919 on prenatal programming of sex differences in comorbid depression and CVD.

Bob had the rare gift of always knowing when to be a friend, a colleague, and/or a mentor at the right time, and always through saying more by talking less. As founding member of national and international workshops and symposia, he was an ardent supporter of early career investigators. His legacy - supporting the Young Investigators – that he initiated 28 years ago, at the Workshop on Steroid Hormones and Brain Function, is a model that is followed in scientific meetings worldwide.

Bob’s intellect and leadership skills were highly sought after by numerous funding agencies. For three decades, he participated in multiple NIH and NSF study sections where he was a tireless, yet critical, vocal advocate for high quality neuroendocrine research and the importance of incorporating sex as a biological variable, before it was fashionable to do so. He had a long history with ORWH, and his work led to dozens of national and international patents for his scientific discoveries. Finally, Bob found time to ski with his son and friends, play golf, and fish - passions that he shared with many. He will forever be remembered for his quiet and unassuming personality, loyal to and generous with his colleagues, trainees, and friends. We will miss him dearly and are so grateful for his contributions to initiating the U54 SCORE with us.