Dr. Mercy Mascreen Davidson, Ph.D.
April 7, 1949 – July 10, 2025
Dr. Mercy Mascreen Davidson, a pioneering neuroscientist and Senior Research Scientist at Columbia University Medical Center, passed away unexpectedly on July 10, 2025, in New York City. She was 76.
Born in Chennai, India, Dr. Davidson earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Madras before relocating to New York in 1981 as a recipient of the prestigious Jerry Lewis Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Muscular Dystrophy Association. She would go on to dedicate more than four decades to research at Columbia, becoming a global leader in mitochondrial biology and radiation oncology.
Her groundbreaking work on mitochondrial mutations, MELAS syndrome, and blood-brain barrier dysfunction has contributed to a deeper understanding of complex neurological and muscular diseases, including Alzheimer’s, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s. She was the sole inventor on a U.S. patent for the immortalization of post-mitotic human cardiomyocytes. Her contributions to science continue to inform research and treatment worldwide.
Dr. Davidson was a six-term member of the Columbia University Senate, where she co-chaired the Commission on the Status of Women and played a key role in advancing policies on salary equity, sexual harassment, and gender-neutral bathroom access. She was a mentor to young scientists and a passionate advocate for women and girls in STEM.
Outside of her professional life, she was deeply active in her community. She served as president of her cooperative board and chair of the Board of Trustees at First Baptist Church of New York City. A lover of the arts and culture, she was a member of Jazz at Lincoln Center and the New York Botanical Gardens, and a devoted fan of both the New York Knicks and Yankees. She was also an expert seamstress, jewelry maker, gardener, and cook—known for her elegant personal style and warm hospitality.
She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Terence Davidson; daughters Preeti and Kavitha; and her beloved niece, Edna Mascreen.
A private viewing will be held on Thursday, July 17, 2025, from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM at Riverdale-On-Hudson Funeral Home, 6110 Riverdale Avenue, Bronx, NY. The funeral service will follow at 1:00 pm in the Woolworth Chapel at Woodlawn Cemetery, with interment immediately afterward. A reception will follow at the Davidson Family Residence in Manhattan.
Flowers are welcome and may be sent to Riverdale-On-Hudson Funeral Home.
Donations may be made to the Mercy Mascreen Davidson Scholars Fund, being established by her family to support women in science. For more information, please contact preetidavidson@gmail.com.