Floyd E. Bloom, MD, an honorary emeritus trustee at Washington University in St. Louis, died Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. He was 88.
Bloom was a professor emeritus in molecular and integrative neurosciences at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif. He had earned his medical degree from WashU Medicine in 1960.
Bloom made groundbreaking contributions to modern neuroscience and was a co-author of the defining textbook “The Biochemical Basis of Neuropharmacology,” first published in 1970 and now in its eighth edition. He served as editor in chief of Science from 1995-2000.
Bloom was elected to the WashU Board of Trustees in 1998; he became an emeritus trustee in 2009. He served on the Education Policy Committee (now known as the Academic Affairs Committee), including as chair from 2003-08. He also served on the former Research-Graduate Affairs Committee.
Bloom received a Distinguished Alumni Award from WashU in 1980 and an honorary degree in 1998. In addition, Bloom had served as a member of the medical school’s National Council for many years, including a stint as chair. He also was the recipient of WashU Medicine’s Second Century Award in 1997 and its Alumni Achievement Award in 2010.
Bloom is survived by his wife, Jody Corey-Bloom, MD, PhD; his son, Evan Russell Bloom; his daughter, Fl’Nell Willis Kauweloa; a sister, Marcia Bloom Smith; two grandchildren, Jack and Hannah; and a great-grandchild, Audrey.
Read more about his professional achievements in this obituary in Science.