Robert Lue

Robert Arnold Lue (May 23, 1964 – November 11, 2020) was a Jamaican-born American cellular biologist. He was a professor of molecular and cellular biology at Harvard University, where he was the Richard L. Menschel Faculty Director of the Derek Bok Center for Teaching. Lue had been co-editor of the Harvard Data Science Review, and was previously the university's UNESCO Chair on Life Sciences and Social Innovation. Lue led LabXChange, an online learning platform, in partnership with the Amgen Foundation.

Early life and education
Robert Lue grew up in Jamaica, where he developed an interest in nature. He was of Chinese and Romanian descent. Lue graduated from St. George's College in 1980, then attended the College of the Holy Cross. In 1986, he graduated from Holy Cross with a degree in biology and philosophy in 1986.

After taking a year off to paint at Brandeis University, Lue pursued graduate studies at Harvard University and obtained a Ph.D. in cellular biology in 1995. His dissertation was titled "Molecular and biochemical characterization of Hdlg: the human homologue of the Drosophila discs-large tumor suppressor protein." In 1996, Lue completed his postdoctoral studies at Harvard. He was mentored by Daniel Branton, a professor of biology.

Career
Beginning in 2008, Lue was the Faculty Director of the Harvard-Allston Education Portal. He was recognized for his contributions to molecular animation. Lue's research was supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He served as dean of Harvard Summer School and co-authored two textbooks on biology, researching science visualization.

On March 1, 2013, Lue became the inaugural Richard L. Menschel Faculty Director of the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University. He was formerly professor of the practice of molecular and cellular biology, and the director of life sciences education at Harvard University.

Personal life
Lue died on November 11, 2020, of cancer at the age of 56. He was survived by his husband, Alain Viel.