Dr. Peter Durand Echeverria passed away on July 27, 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand, after a prolonged struggle with multiple sclerosis.
An accomplished physician and microbiologist, he served as the Chief of the Department of Bacteriology at the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS) in Bangkok from 1979 to 1997. His groundbreaking work using DNA techniques to identify bacteria that cause gastrointestinal illnesses greatly improved the scientific community’s understanding of what causes stomach infections around the globe. His research also focused on the causes of viral diarrheal disease in children, as well as antibiotic resistance.
Born in 1945 in Palo Alto, California, to Durand and Patricia Echeverria, Peter grew up in Providence, Rhode Island, with memorable summers spent sailing and fishing in Wellfleet on Cape Cod. Peter graduated from South Kent School in 1963, received his undergraduate degree from Harvard (1967), and completed his medical training at Dartmouth (1969) and Harvard (1971). Peter then joined the Navy and worked at Naval Medical Research Unit Two (NAMRU-2) in Taiwan before transferring to the Army and AFRIMS, where he retired at the rank of Colonel.
Peter is survived by his brother and sister, John and Ana; wife, Katherine; two children, Kat and Nate; and two grandchildren. He is also remembered by an extended network of Thai and American friends and colleagues.