Henry Metzger, M.D., who served for 10 years as the first scientific director of Intramural Research at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), passed away at the age of 88 on November 20, 2018 in Hanover, N.H. NIH service.

He pursued basic research in molecular aspects of the immune system as senior investigator in the Arthritis and Rheumatism Branch, and then as chief of the section on Chemical Immunology, before becoming scientific director of Intramural Research at NIAMS.

Metzger’s pioneering basic research on the full expression of the IgE receptor is now applied in the clinic to help with allergic reactions, including asthma. He recruited and mentored numerous scientists, including John O’Shea, M.D., current NIAMS scientific director, and Daniel Kastner, M.D., Ph.D., scientific director for the Division of Intramural Research at the NIH’s National Human Genome Research Institute. The NIAMS Metzger Scholars Program in Translational Research, named in his honor, gives outstanding candidates advanced training in rheumatology and related fields after completing clinical training in adult or pediatric rheumatology, and creates a bridge to progress toward independently-funded positions.

Metzger authored more than 250 scientific articles, was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, and was a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Metzger was also president and councilor of the International Union of Immunological Societies, was president of The American Association of Immunologists (AAI), and was awarded the AAI Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999. Metzger also remained an advisor to the NIH Board of Scientific Directors following his retirement. His oral history is at <a href="https://history.nih.gov/archives/downloads/metzgerinterview.pdf" rel="noreferrer nofollow">history.nih.gov/archives/downloads/metzgerinterview.pdf</a>