In Memoriam: William A. Peck, MD

William “Bill” A. Peck, MD, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at his home in St. Louis, MO, USA (Fig. 1). He was 89 years old. Dr. Peck was a founder of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) and a pioneer in the bone and mineral field—making seminal contributions to bone biology and osteoporosis at a time when the field was still in its infancy. He was born in New Britain, CT, where his father was a general practitioner. At age 7 years, Peck contracted osteomyelitis and had to undergo surgery because of limited treatment options at the time for this life-threatening illness. His experience inspired him to pursue a career focused on bone metabolism. He graduated from Harvard College in 1955, with a degree in biochemical sciences, and went on to earn his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine in 1960. After completing a 2-year residency in internal medicine and a 1-year fellowship in metabolism at what was then Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Peck served for 2 years as a clinical associate at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where he worked in the area of arthritis and metabolic diseases. In 1963, he became chief resident at Strong Memorial Hospital at the University of Rochester, remaining on the faculty there, to become a professor of medicine and biochemistry and the head of endocrinology unit. “Bill Peck was one of my mentors at Strong Memorial hospital where I followed in his giant footsteps as a Chief Resident,” said Paul Miller, University of Colorado, a long-time ASBMR member and clinical investigator. “Bill was a great thinker and generous human being who impacted many young careers with enthusiasm and devotion. He will be missed but remembered.” In 1976, Peck was appointed the John E. and Adaline Simon Professor of Medicine and co-chairman of the Department of Medicine at Washington University, as well as physician-in-chief at what was then Jewish Hospital of St. Louis. He became vice chancellor for medical affairs and dean of the School of Medicine in 1989 and was named executive vice chancellor in 1993. “Bill was not only a great dean but also a personal mentor to me. We were department chairmen at Jewish Hospital together and he taught me how to lead within the context of a hospital and university,” said Steven Teitelbaum of Washington University and former ASBMR President. “We remained close friends over the years and I continued to follow the great contributions he made to our university. He leaves a great legacy.” At Washington University, Peck was the first to hold the positions of both executive vice chancellor and dean at the university. Over his 14-year tenure, Peck led the school through a period of unprecedented growth to become one of the nation's leading centers for medical research and academic clinical practice, and one of the most academically selective medical schools. He recruited top researchers, educators and staff, fostered collaboration among the school's leadership, and raised the school's research profile in many areas. He also spearheaded the opening of the Center for Advanced Medicine, a state-of-the-art structure to provide space for the rapidly expanding academic clinical practice. At the end of his tenure as dean, Peck established the Center for Health Policy (now the Center for Economics & Health Policy) at Washington University's Institute for Public Health and became a nationally recognized leader in health policy, particularly in the areas of rising costs, disparities in access to care, workforce shortages and errors and inefficiencies in providing medical care. In our scientific community, Bill Peck will be remembered for his leadership and contributions to develop the bone metabolism field and as a champion of osteoporosis research and care. He was part of the legendary group who met at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, in the summer of 1974, during the Endocrine Society annual meeting (Fig. 2). The work and foresight of these pioneers established the foundations of what would become the ASBMR. Peck served as one of the first ASBMR Councilors (1979–1981), and then President (1983–1984). During his tenure as ASBMR President, Peck spearheaded an NIH-sponsored Consensus Development Conference on Osteoporosis that included representatives from multiple medical fields and the general public. The findings of this Consensus panel sparked nation-wide interest from major academic centers, physicians and patients, and eventually led to the establishment of the Osteoporosis Foundation in 1984, renamed the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) in 1985, and the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation in 2018. For over 35 years the NOF, a tangible product of Peck's vision and leadership, has helped physicians and patients by providing information and resources about osteoporosis and published guidelines for managing patients at risk of fractures. “I met him first when I visited him in Rochester in 1957, when he was engaged first in growing cells from bone” said T. John Martin of the University of Melbourne, Australia, a long-time ASBMR member and leader. “He taught us how to combine high class clinical work with a deep understanding and participation in basic science, then led a remarkable life as an administrator. A good friend.” At the University of Rochester, Peck's laboratory was the first to establish and utilize the calvaria cell culture model to elucidate the steps of the osteoblast differentiation program. “At that time, bone tissue was studied almost exclusively histologically” Sevgi Rodan, a long-time ASBMR member said. “My husband (the late Gideon Rodan) and I first met him at a ‘Bones and Teeth’ Gordon conference in 1972. He then invited us to Rochester, NY where he was on the faculty, thus starting a wonderful scientific and personal relationship.” In the years when he served as Physician-in-Chief of Jewish Hospital of St. Louis, Peck continued and expanded his work on bone cell function, and later pioneered the concept that cytokines produced by immune cells affect bone turnover, paving the way to the development of the osteoimmunology field. Working alongside Louis V. Avioli, Chief of the Division of Endocrinology and Bone Metabolism at the Jewish Hospital of St. Louis (Fig. 3), Peck helped recruit new faculty, attract new trainees, and secure funding to create a new “bone group” spanning the entire gamut of basic and clinical research at Washington University. Peck was also a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He also served as chair of the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) and as chair of the AAMC Council of Deans. Peck served on numerous boards and advisory boards, including those at Centene, Hologic, Innovate St. Louis, Memory Care Home Solutions, Pritikin, St. Louis Regional Chamber, and Growth Association, and TIAA. Among Bill's many talents, he was also a gifted pianist, often performing at Washington University School of Medicine and alumni functions. Several years ago, he released a CD. The back cover described Bill in a way that would be worthy of any concert artist: “Dr. Peck usually plays a Steinway, sometimes plays a Yamaha Concert Series, occasionally plays a weighted Hammond….” Bill was a multidimensional scholar whose remarkable impact on us has been evident since the organization of our field. His memory will undoubtedly remain with us for many decades to come as we remember, value, and honor one of the great leaders of our time. The peer review history for this article is available at https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway/wos/peer-review/10.1002/jbmr.4813.