Sumner H. Burstein

Sumner H. Burstein, 90, of Dedham, MA, (previously of Framingham, MA) passed away peacefully in his home on December 14, 2022 surrounded by his family. Sumner was born in Boston, MA to Jack and Blanche (Quint) Burstein on February 22, 1932. He grew up in Brookline, MA, graduating from Brookline High School in 1949. He went on to earn a B.S. in Chemistry from MIT, an M.S. from Brandeis University and a Ph.D. in Chemistry in the laboratory of Carl Djerassi at Wayne State University, studying natural products chemistry. He completed his post-doctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Franz Sondheimer at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. While in Israel he met his beloved wife of 63 years, Dleela (Levin) Burstein.

In 1960, Sumner accepted a position as a research scientist at the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology in Shrewsbury, MA where initially he studied steroid biochemistry. Following a sabbatical at the Weizmann Institute in Israel in 1968, he began research on what would become his life’s work, the study of cannabinoids. In 1977, he moved to the Department of Biochemistry at the University Of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester where he remained Professor of Biochemistry until the present time. Sumner was passionate about his work and science, continuing to publish widely cited, peer-reviewed papers until 2021. He founded JB Therapeutics, which subsequently became Corbus Pharmaceuticals, with the goal of applying his research to the development of novel, non-psychoactive cannabinoid drugs, ultimately demonstrating clinical proof of concept of his ideas.

Sumner leaves behind his wife Dleela (Levin) Burstein, his children Dina Burstein of Barrington, RI and Ethan Burstein and wife, Tracy, of San Diego, CA. Adored grandfather to Julia, Emily and Adam Morrissey and Elizabeth and Jack Burstein.

Services will be held on Tuesday, December 20th at 10:00 am at Levine Chapels, 470 Harvard St., Brookline. Burial will follow at Tifereth Israel of Winthrop Cemetery, 232 Fuller St., Everett, MA.

Shiva will be Wednesday, December 21st from 2 – 3:30 at the Newbridge Family Interfaith Chapel, 5000 Great Meadow Rd, Dedham, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sumner’s memory to Hebrew Senior Life.