The late Ben Barres was Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurobiology at Stanford University where he was on the faculty from 1993 until his death in late 2017. He dealt with the emotional and physical effects of being transgender until he transitioned from Barbara to Ben in his 40's. Ben was one of the world's leading researchers on the role of glia, the most numerous and least understood type of brain cell, in development and disease and he was the first transgender scientist to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences.