Stephen R. Besch, a longtime employee of the SUNY Research Foundation at UB, died Dec. 16 in his Buffalo home after a battle with brain cancer. He was 64.

A Buffalo native, Besch earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and PhD in physiology from UB.

He joined the Research Foundation at UB in 1985, where he did biomedical research on a range of issues, including the potential for using a peptide in tarantula venom for treatment of diseases, among them muscular dystrophy.

Outside the office, Besch enjoyed playing classical guitar, summers at the beach and carpentry, according to family members, who said he had a lifelong curiosity and passion for science and sharing it with others.

“He wanted to understand everything” and was driven to improve anything he believed could be improved, his daughter, Lydia Anne, told The Buffalo News.

During his illness, Besch participated in the clinical trial of a device used to combat brain tumors, employing an electrical field generator and electrodes attached to his head.

“He was constantly trying to redesign it,” his daughter said, and considered contacting the manufacturer to suggest improvements.

A scholarship fund is being started at UB in Besch’s name.