Office of the Vice President for Research Affairs
Remembering Marino A. De León, PhD
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Marino A. De León, PhD, professor of physiology and founding director of the Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine (CHDMM) at Loma Linda University School of Medicine. Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and raised in the suburbs of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Dr. De León was the first in his family to attend college.
His distinguished career of over 30 years at Loma Linda University leaves a lasting mark on research, education, and the advancement of health equity. With his guidance, CHDMM became a national platform for biomedical research, diversity in student training, and community engagement addressing health disparities.
"Dr. Marino De León was a quiet force whose vision, dedication, and unwavering commitment profoundly shaped Loma Linda University. Through his scholarship, mentorship, and leadership, he advanced research, education, and opened doors for countless students and colleagues. His wisdom and his giving heart have been immeasurable. He will be missed tremendously,” said Tamara Thomas, dean of Loma Linda University School of Medicine.
His primary areas of focus include neural injury, health disparities, and biomedical workforce development. He is recognized nationally for his research on neuronal injury and neuroprotection, leadership in health disparities research and student development initiatives, and for establishing the CHDMM in 2005 with major funding from the NIH’s National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD).
As Principal Investigator and Director of the LLU-NIH Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) Program, Dr. De León oversaw the training of graduate students completing Loma Linda’s graduate programs. For over twenty years, CHDMM’s summer research programs helped hundreds of high school and university students advance into biomedical programs, contributing to their communities and the broader scientific workforce.
An internationally recognized neuroscientist, he led a research team internationally recognized for its work in neural lipotoxicity and the role of bioactive lipids and fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) in nerve cell protection and regeneration. His laboratory was the first to clone and characterize epidermal fatty acid-binding protein (E-FABP, also known as DA11 or FABP5) from rat dorsal root ganglia. E-FABP was identified as a nerve injury-associated protein, markedly upregulated during sciatic nerve regeneration and neuronal development. His group demonstrated that E-FABP is required for neurite extension and protects neurons against lipotoxic injury. Further characterization of E-FABP’s lipid-binding properties led to foundational discoveries showing that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid, protects neurons from palmitic acid-induced lipotoxicity and apoptosis.
Dr. De León received numerous honors and awards and has served on multiple national advisory panels and review boards for the NIH, NSF, Department of Defense, and various academic institutions across the country.
He received the Loma Linda University Health Distinguished Investigator Award, Distinguished Service Award from the School of Medicine, Centennial Vanguard Award, Walter E. Macpherson Society Outstanding Faculty Researcher Award, NIH Public Health Service Award, and numerous honors for leadership and support of minority students.
He also served as Chair of the American Society for Neurochemistry Diversity and Inclusion Committee and on national scientific review panels and boards. His research was published in leading journals including Journal of Neuroscience Research, Journal of Neurochemistry, and International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
Dr. De León earned his BS and MS from the University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, his PhD from the University of California, Davis, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University.
He was a dedicated mentor and advocate for diversity in the biomedical workforce, leaving a legacy through the students he guided and the programs he created. He inspired countless individuals to pursue careers in science and medicine while emphasizing the importance of service, equity, and community engagement.
Our thoughts and prayers go to his wife, Dr. Daisy De León and their children, extended family and friends.
Recollections of Marino De León
The tragic loss of Dr. Marino De León has left a profound mark in the CHDMM, the School of Medicine, the entire LLUH family, and our community. His selfless and tireless dedication to promoting excellence in health disparities research, student training, mentoring of young biomedical scientists, and community engagement in life-changing ways, was widely recognized and admired both locally and nationally. Dr. De Leon leaves a deeply impactful and inspiring legacy of service that will always be remembered.
~ Carlos Casiano, PhD, professor of basic sciences
Marino was fully devoted to the students in his program and went to great lengths to help each of them succeed. No one will be able to take his place.
~ Penelope Duerksen-Hughes, PhD, associate dean for basic science and translational research and professor and chair of the Department of Basic Sciences.
I am deeply saddened by Marino’s passing. Marino was more than a mentor—he was a steadfast supporter and friend who believed in me, and in so many others, even before we fully believed in ourselves. His unwavering dedication to science, mentorship, and service built a legacy that will live on through the countless lives he touched and inspired. What I admired most was his ability to see potential where others might not, and his passion for empowering the next generation of scientists. He taught us that success is not just measured by individual accomplishments but by the people we lift up along the way. I hope to honor his memory by following the example he set: leading with integrity, generosity, and an unshakable belief in the promise of others. His impact will continue to guide me, and I am forever grateful for his mentorship and friendship.
~ Johnny D. Figueroa, PhD, associate professor of basic sciences
Dr. Marino De León's love of the mission of Loma Linda University was so deep, it was contagious and that is why I came back to serve my Alma Mater along side a person with so much love for advancing medical research. I will forever honor his memory carrying forward all that he embodied. He has left an indelible mark on our Loma Linda University community, and we are grateful for the knowledge, guidance, and compassion he shared with us. May we surround his family with arms that lifts the heaviness of his untimely loss and may we be guided by his legacy as we navigate this difficult time together. As I try to process the sudden loss of a friend, mentor, and researcher. I am short on words with long pauses.
~ With heartfelt sympathy and solidarity, Dexter Frederick, MD, associate dean of mission alignment and workforce innovation
A true champion for the underserved, Dr. De León dedicated his life to empowering students to reach their full potential.
~ Hansel Fletcher, PhD, assistant dean for graduate student affairs
