Phyllis Strauss passed away on September 19, 2025.
Professor Strauss was a respected member of the Northeastern University community for over four decades, serving with distinction from 1973 until her retirement in 2019. She leaves behind a remarkable legacy as an educator, researcher, and mentor who touched the lives of countless students, faculty, and staff.
Professor Strauss graduated from Brown University with a degree in chemistry and earned her PhD in experimental biology from Rockefeller University. Her distinguished career included appointments as Professor of Biochemistry and Matthews Distinguished Professor, as well as a Fulbright Scholar in India. Throughout her tenure, she maintained an unwavering commitment to academic excellence, inspiring and challenging her students to reach their full potential.
Over the course of her career, Professor Strauss had significant achievements in cell biology, molecular biology, cancer biology, and immunology. She was particularly renowned for her expertise in DNA repair mechanisms, work that advanced our understanding of fundamental biological processes.
In The News
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News
Northeastern colleagues remember Phyllis Strauss, ‘tough, generous’ distinguished biology professor
Strauss, who passed away in September, served at Northeastern for 46 years and was among the first biology faculty members to bring in substantial federal research funding.