In Memoriam: Larry W. McLaughlin
Larry W. McLaughlin, a professor of chemistry at Boston College for 34 years whose research investigated the mysteries of DNA, creating new anti-virals, and the potential of nano-scale drug therapies, died on November 9 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. He was 73.
Larry McLaughlin (Lee Pellegrini)
A passionate classroom teacher, Dr. McLaughlin also managed a research group, supporting students at every level, and supervising and mentoring doctoral students and post-doctoral researchers. He published research in leading peer-reviewed journals throughout his career, and also volunteered his time working with K-12 teachers to improve science education and encourage student interest in STEM study and careers.
In addition to his teaching and research, Dr. McLaughlin served stints as the department chair and from 2010 to 2013 as University vice provost for research and academic planning.
“We are heartbroken by Larry’s passing,” said Margaret A. and Thomas A. ‘53 Vanderslice Professor in Chemistry Dunwei Wang, the department chair. “He was an insightful mentor, a passionate scientist, and above all, a great friend. The department was lucky to have had him, and all of us consider ourselves extremely fortunate to have worked alongside him for so many years.
“I still recall vividly the many chats we have had during our afternoon tea times, when I heard not only invaluable advice on how to do science but also his passion on cars and kitchen chemistry. His passing is a huge loss for the department and for the University. We express our sincere condolences to his family.”
A native of Seattle, Dr. McLaughlin earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of California at Riverside and a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Alberta. He worked at the Max Planck Institute in Germany and joined the Boston College faculty in 1985, retiring in 2019.
Away from the lab, colleagues said, Dr. McLaughlin’s passions included cooking, travel, ambitious do-it-yourself projects, and vintage cars.
In a 2013 Boston College Chronicle story, Dr. McLaughlin discussed the 1954 Austin Healey M-100 he and his friends, tech executive Michael Perlmutter and restoration specialist Maurizio Cerasoli, restored then shipped to Italy to participate in the Mille Miglia, an historic road rally deemed “the most beautiful race in the world.”
Earning a spot in the race required a detailed and historic restoration of the car in order to meet the stringent requirements of race organizers, who only accept vintage autos manufactured between 1927 and 1957.
“The hardest thing about this race is getting into it,” Dr. McLaughlin told Chronicle. “There were over 1,500 applications for 375 slots. The first thing you have to do is get in. The selection process is something of a mystery, but known to be extremely difficult.”
Dr. McLaughlin, Perlmutter, and Cerasoli took turns behind the wheel as they traveled the 1,000-mile course from the northern city of Brescia, south to Ferrara, through Rome, and north back to Brescia.
“I look upon it as part spectacle, part race, part parade, part party,” recalled Dr. McLaughlin, describing the once-in-a-lifetime experience as a “bucket list” item for him and his friends.
A resident of Newport, NH, at the time of his death, Dr. McLaughlin is survived by his wife Jean (Frankie), their children Martin and Mareika, two grandchildren, and four of his siblings. The McLaughlin family have invited people to make donations in Dr. McLaughlin’s memory that support research into Parkinson’s Disease.