Dr. Jonathan A. Ship, an expert in aging and oral health, died April 18 at home after battling cancer. He was 49 years old.
Dr. Ship was director of the Bluestone Center for Clinical Research at New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry, New York City, and a professor of basic science and craniofacial biology at the school. He also was the associate editor of research for JADA for five years.
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Dr. Jonathan A. Ship
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"There are a lot of great things to say about him professionally, but he was such a wonderful person and an amazing human being. He was very special," said Dr. Bruce Baum, chief of the gene transfer section at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Md. "The profession should celebrate such a good person."
Dental research was in Dr. Ship’s blood. His father, Dr. Irwin Ship, taught for years at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia—where the younger Dr. Ship received his dental degree—and was actively involved in establishing the Department of Oral Medicine at Hebrew University’s Hadassah School of Dental Medicine in Jerusalem.
In 1986, the younger Dr. Ship sought out Dr. Baum while at a conference in Jerusalem to talk about a career in geriatric dentistry. It seemed like a natural pathway for Dr. Ship’s career when, a few years later, Dr. Baum offered him a fellowship in oral medicine at NIH.
"He far surpassed me in his skills in trial designs and statistical analysis," Dr. Baum said.
Dr. Baum said he admired Dr. Ship’s investigative skills, but also never hesitated to recommend him as a clinician, particularly in cases in which salivary glands were a factor. After his father suffered a stroke and was confined to a wheelchair, Dr. Ship became his general dentist. "He was wonderful with him," Dr. Baum said.
On the NYU Web site, Dr. Ship described the focus of his research as trying "to gain a better understanding of the influence of aging, systemic diseases and medications on oral health and function." He also studied the salivary function in aging adults and was a champion rower.
"This is a terrible loss for the dental profession and for so many professional colleagues and friends," said Dr. Dan Meyer, senior vice president of the American Dental Association’s Division of Science/Professional Affairs. "I know of no other person who was so universally respected and personally liked."
At NYU, Dr. Ship was the principal investigator responsible for bringing a $26.7 million NIH grant to NYU—the largest NIH grant ever received at the college. The funds were used to establish Practitioners Engaged in Applied Research in Learning, a network built on practice-based research for dentistry. The network was designed to help take dentists’ clinical experience and use it in dental research. Dr. Ship told the ADA News in November 2005 it was "a great opportunity" for the school.
"Jon was a rarity in academia," said Dr. Michael Glick, editor of The Journal of the American Dental Association and a longtime friend of Dr. Ship’s. "No one ever had anything negative to say about him. He was a very special colleague and friend."
"Over the past year of Jon’s terrible illness, his bravery, nobility and grace were extraordinary," wrote Dr. Charles Bertolami, dean of the NYU College of Dentistry, in an obituary for The New York Times. "With his spectacular intelligence, humor, humanity, optimism and compassion, he set an example for us all. Jonathan Ship’s passing leaves us heartbroken."
Dr. Ship is survived by his wife, Shari, and three children.
Funeral services were held April 22 at Congregation Sons of Israel, Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.
The family has requested that donations be sent to the Bluestone Center at New York University College of Dentistry, 345 E. 24th St., New York, N.Y. 10010-4086.
