“His trainees were like a 2nd family to him,” Kedes’s son, Dean Kedes, a microbiologist at the University of Virginia, wrote in an email. His father would often have students over for dinner, and their lively discussions were part of what prompted the younger Kedes to pursue a career in science. “In the end, I saw my father’s daily enjoyment of his career not only from his awe of new discoveries in gene expression but also his creation of this super-family ... all of whom shared his joy of science and life. What son wouldn’t also want that type of career?”