Andrew Caswell Hiatt was born on October 6, 1951, at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan, NY, to Drs. Mary and Robert Hiatt. At a young age he moved with his family to Shiraz, Iran after his father was hired as a representative of general surgery at the newly established Namazi Hospital. From age 5 he attended Fieldston School in Riverdale, NY, and became an accomplished high jumper during his high school years.
He then headed off to the University of Vermont, where he majored in philosophy and religious studies. After college, he lived on a 150-acre farm with his wife and sister’s family before attending Columbia University Graduate School. He earned his doctorate in Bio-Chemistry in 1985 and continued his post-doctoral work at Cold Spring Harbor focusing on plant molecular biology. In 1987, he moved with his family to San Diego, CA and was hired as a professor at the Scripps Research Institute.
While at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA, Andy invented manufacturing of antibody drugs in plants. Based on that discovery, he co-founded Epicyte Pharmaceutical, a company that received over 40 million dollars in investment. After 5 years at Epicyte, Andy joined Mapp Biopharmaceutical (San Diego, CA) where he served as the Vice President of R&D. His work was instrumental in the development of ZMapp, a drug used in patients during two Ebola virus outbreaks. He was a creative, thoughtful, and extremely funny scientist (father and husband!) and an inventor on over 30 patents. Until his death he continued to assist in research and writing of grants and patents.
Andy had a 30+ year family connection to Cornish; a place he loved to escape to with his family and where he longed to live. After his marriage to Cris in 2015 he was able to fulfill that dream by moving to Cornish. He became an active member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Claremont and religiously spent 3 days a week playing water-volleyball at UVAC. He is survived by his wife Cris Hiatt; daughter, Gabriella Dickinson-Hiatt (Robin); son, Tristan Dickinson-Hiatt; grandchildren, Cy and Teo Burgbacher; his sisters, Margaret Hiatt and Elizabeth Ratclif; three step children Chelsea, Andrew (Sara), Kirsten and her son Brayden.
There will be a Covid-respectful outdoor memorial service in his beloved backyard on Saturday, June 27, 11 am in Cornish. Due to providing safe distancing, masks, etc. and to provide information on attending virtually please RSVP to Hiattmemorial@yahoo.com. The service will be followed by time for a self-brought picnic lunch and a toast to an incredible man whose sudden passing has left a hole in the lives of many. In lieu of any flowers we ask that a donation be made to the Cornish Historical Society, Cornish, NH.
The Stringer Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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