title: A reflection of the lasting contributions from Dr. Robert Bittman to sterol trafficking, sphingolipid and phospholipid research.
abstract: With the passing of Dr. Robert Bittman from pancreatic cancer on the 1st October 2014, the lipid research field lost one of the most influential and significant personalities. Robert Bittman's genius was in chemical design and his contribution to the lipid research field was truly immense. The reagents and chemicals he designed and synthesised allowed interrogation of the role of lipids in constituting complex biophysical membranes, sterol transfer and in cellular communication networks. Here we provide a review of these works which serve as a lasting memory to his life.
authors.affiliation: Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, 161 Cathedral St., University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Nigel J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Pyne
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Tennessee, Health Science Center, 894 Union Avenue, Memphis, TN 38163, USA.
authors.forename: Gabor J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Tigyi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008246:Lysophospholipids / Q000502:physiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000266:history / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D049349:Receptors, Lysosphingolipid / Q000502:physiology; D013107:Sphingolipids / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000502:physiology; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D008246:Lysophospholipids; D010743:Phospholipids; D049349:Receptors, Lysosphingolipid; D013107:Sphingolipids; C060506:sphingosine 1-phosphate; D013110:Sphingosine