ISU Mourns the Loss of Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology and Biochemistry Dr. Judy Fontenelle

The Department of Biomedical Sciences, the College of Pharmacy and Health Professions, and the greater ISU community mourn the loss of Dr. Lydia “Judy” Fontenelle, Emeritus Professor of Biochemistry and Pharmacology. Originally from New Orleans, Louisiana, Fontenelle attended Louisiana State University for her undergraduate, earning a B.S. in Mathematics and Science Education. She went on to receive a Ph.D in Biochemistry from Tulane University and a National Institute of Health Fellowship. In 1969, Fontenelle joined ISU as a professor of biochemistry and pharmacology.  

She became a full professor in 1979 and served as Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and President of the ISU Chapter of the honors society, Phi Kappa Phi. During her time at ISU, Fontelle earned a B.S. in Pharmacy in 1981 and received the ISU Outstanding Teacher Award four times and the College of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year Award once. After almost thirty years of service to the university, Fontenelle retired as an emeritus professor in 1998. Colleagues and former students remember her fondly as a great educator and avid supporter of women in STEM careers. 

Fontenelle had the opportunity to do research at the University of Iowa and within the Department of Genetics at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research in San Antonio during two of her sabbatical years. She also spent two summers conducting research internationally at the University of Bremen in Germany and at the University of Alberta in Canada. However, the majority of her research was done here on ISU’s Pocatello campus and revolved around metabolic processes within cancer cells and how different chemical compounds impacted those processes, such as how they limit cancerous tumor growth. Her foundational research has been cited hundreds of times by other pharmacological researchers. 

Outside of work, Fontenelle raised and showed Scottish terriers and golden retrievers. One of her goldens, Heather, was a champion who was invited to Madison Square Garden in New York City for the American Kennel Club National Championship Dog Show. The last puppy she raised was a lovable goldendoodle. When not around her dogs, she liked to ride horses and spend her time outdoors.