Along with many others in Rhode Island’s research community, we were profoundly saddened to learn of the sudden passing of James F. Padbury, MD, who among his numerous roles, served as the inaugural principal investigator of Advance RI-CTR.

Through his tireless work and collaborative sensibilities, Dr. Padbury was instrumental in shaping Rhode Island into the competitive environment for medical research that it is today.

Program Director of Advance RI-CTR, Sharon Rounds, MD, remembers Dr. Padbury as “a very strong advocate for multi-institutional scientific collaboration.” And his push for a strong centralized administrative core made Advance RI-CTR “really one of the very first successful collaborations amongst all the different hospitals, Brown, and the University of Rhode Island, ” says Dr. Rounds. And this made it a model for other CTRs across the country.

Program Coordinator, Edward Hawrot, PhD, notes that while Brown University was searching for funding, organizers in Brown BioMed like himself were pursuing a Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program. “But Jim felt, and I agreed with him, that the CTSA was too prescriptive and demanding of resources. It didn't actually give you as much freedom as an institution to build the infrastructure that would be optimal.” And that’s when the idea for pursuing a CTR came in, “and Jim seemed to be more gung ho.”

Dr. Padbury’s tenacity in helping bring talented researchers to Brown—and aiding them in obtaining funding for their research—was also a major part of his contributions to the community. “He leaped into genomics and multiomics and also data science,” said Dr. Sharon Rounds. “And he was way ahead of the rest of us in that regard.” Dr. Rounds, notes his “absolute ebullient personality. He was bubbly!”

“He used to say that he never saw a grant application that he didn't like,” Dr. Hawrot joked. “He also had the saying that any funding coming in lifts all boats.”

And Dr. Jim Padbury knew boats. “He was an ardent sailor,” noted Dr. Rounds. “Mary Padbury told me he would go sailing in the wintertime!” But in the summers, the Padburys would have a gathering at their house in Wickford. Dr. Hawrot remembers Jim with his sailboat, “and there were kayaks and you know the kids were invited and people brought various dishes…Those were some very good, memorable times.”

“When I went to the NISBRE meeting in June,” remembers Dr. Rounds, “of course, we're all talking about Jim. And I can tell you that people from all over the country were so upset to hear about his passing. He had been a very positive influence.” From his work at the University of California throughout his illustrious career, to his work here in Rhode Island, to his advisory role at CTRs in Delaware and Puerto Rico, Dr. Padbury was like a hub for the many spokes of research across the medical community.

And in a sentiment likely shared by all who worked alongside him, Dr Rounds said, “I really am very grateful to have had the opportunity to have been able to work with him all those years.”