Research!America Statement Following the Death of Former Board Chair and Congressman, Mike Castle
Arlington, VA – Research!America, a nonprofit alliance that advocates for science, discovery, and innovation to achieve better health for all, issued the following statement in the wake of the death of Mike Castle, former Delaware governor and congressman who once chaired the Research!America board.
Castle died Thursday at the age of 86.
“I have had the pleasure of knowing Mike and working alongside him for years, first during his time in Congress and later when he served on our board” said Research!America President and CEO Mary Woolley. “A lifelong public servant, Mike was an extraordinary champion for medical research and public health. He was a dear friend of mine, and an inspiration to many of us here at Research!America. We offer our condolences to his family and friends.”
Research!America honored Castle last year with the John Edward Porter Legacy Award for his outstanding commitment to sustaining the nation’s world-class leadership in medical and health research. He also received the Edwin C. Whitehead Award for Medical Research Advocacy, along with Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), in 2006
Castle, a Republican, was a former two-term governor (1985 to 1992) and a nine-term congressman (1993 to 2011). At the invitation of former Congressman John Porter, then Chair of Research!America’s Board, Gov. Castle joined the board of Research!America upon his retirement from Congress in 2011, serving on the board until 2023. Castle served as Vice Chair and then Chair of the Research!America board from 2017 to 2021. Castle provided strong leadership throughout his tenure, including helping guide the organization with his steady leadership during the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic.
Contact Glenn O’Neal, Senior Director of Communications, at 571-482-2737 or [email protected] with press inquiries.