Dr. Donald Moerman, lovingly known to many as Don, spent his life following his curiosity. From the horses that filled his childhood with stories to the tiny organisms that would become central to his career, there was always something new to discover and a story worth sharing. 

Raised in Vancouver and Maple Ridge, Don grew up on a farm. Before completing his university studies, he travelled through Europe and the Middle East, an experience he considered an important part of his education and one that gave him plenty of stories for years to come. After traveling for a year and a half he returned to university to complete his undergraduate and doctoral degrees in biology from Simon Fraser University. He continued his professional development in St. Louis as a postdoctoral research associate for eight years where he and his wife, Jan, welcomed their daughter, Jessica.

Don joined UBC’s Department of Zoology in 1987 and spent more than three decades teaching, researching and mentoring there. His work using C. elegans helped scientists better understand how muscles develop and function, while his leadership in several international projects (gene knockouts, gene expression and the Million Mutation Project) created resources that researchers around the world could use to explore the roles of thousands of genes. Don also cared deeply about the people around him in science. He enjoyed mentoring students, staff and new faculty and remained active in the department as an Emeritus Professor after retiring in 2019.

Outside of his work, music was a constant in Don’s life. He began drumming as a teenager and continued playing for decades. He was also known for his humour, his storytelling and the kindness he showed to colleagues, friends and family. Above all, being a husband, father and grandfather brought him tremendous joy. 

Don leaves behind a legacy of curiosity freely shared, questions worth pursuing and generations of scientists encouraged to keep asking what comes next. 

Your gift will pay tribute to Don’s dedication to fundamental research. It is the wish of his family and colleagues to raise $50,000 to establish an endowment to honour his life and career by supporting initiatives in the Department of Zoology at UBC. Final decisions on the area of support will be made by UBC in consultation with Don’s family.