In Memoriam: Robert J. Scheuplein

It is with great sadness that we announce that our dear friend and colleague Robert Scheuplein has passed away. Bob joined Keller and Heckman LLP as a Toxicologist in 1998 and worked in the firm’s Food and Drug Practice Group until his retirement in 2017. 

Bob began his career at Harvard Medical School as a physical chemist. In 1977, he moved to FDA where he worked in various senior scientific positions in the areas of toxicology, risk assessment, and food safety. From 1990-1994, Bob was the director of the Office of Toxicology Sciences at FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and was responsible for the management of both regulatory and research toxicology. He also served as the chairman of the Center’s Cancer Assessment Committee and a member of the Quantitative Risk Assessment Committee. 

After his remarkable career at FDA, Bob joined Keller and Heckman’s scientific team and shared his insights and expertise with our growing Food and Drug Practice. During his 19-year tenure with our firm, Bob advised firms on FDA and EPA pre-clearance requirements, FDA GRAS Notices and Food Additive Petitions, EU Novel Food Applications, cosmetics safety, environmental contaminants, and food safety test design. Keller and Heckman’s attorneys and scientists relied on Bob’s technical guidance and were inspired by his willingness to teach everyone around him the critical importance of scientific data and proper testing methods. Bob was well-known nationally and internationally and received many awards and citations, including the FDA Award of Merit and the Distinguished Career Award.

Bob will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him at Keller and Heckman. He was not just our colleague, but a cherished friend and mentor.