
Legacy Of Sue And Roy Nichols Supports Neurodevelopmental Disease Research
A generous gift from Sue and Roy Nichols is powering life-changing breakthroughs in research on neurodevelopmental diseases and childhood genetic disorders
By Lillie Mermoud
Giving back was a way of life for Sue and Roy Nichols. From Roy’s time with Nichols Research Corporation and countless other endeavors until the couple’s passing, the Nichols selflessly gave of their time, resources, and energy to the Huntsville community.
Sue and Roy’s legacy lives on through the many generous planned gifts they left to deserving nonprofits, including HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, where Roy served on the Board of Directors for many years. Their generosity to HudsonAlpha supports the Institute’s newest Faculty Investigator, Andrew Kodani, PhD, and his work on rare neurodevelopmental diseases.
“My sisters and I grew up watching our parents serving others, whether at church, through their volunteerism, or through their financial gifts,” said Rebecca Boone, Sue and Roy’s oldest daughter. “My parents believed that to much is given, much is expected, and they embodied that in all aspects of their lives.”
As co-founder of Nichols Research, Roy played a prominent role in the Huntsville community. His entrepreneurial spirit, out-of-the-box thinking, and gift for strategy and long-range planning led him to grow Nichols Research to reach global success. These qualities also made him a valuable member of many regional and national boards.
Roy played a prominent role in HudsonAlpha’s history. A close friend of HudsonAlpha co-founders Jim Hudson and the late Lonnie McMillian before HudsonAlpha was even founded, Roy was involved every step of the way, excited for the future the Institute would have in healthcare in Alabama and around the world. As a board member, Roy helped lead strategic planning initiatives and drove people on the board and in the community to action in support of HudsonAlpha.
“Anything that involved helping people moved my father,” said Rebecca. “He believed in the passion Jim and Lonnie had for HudsonAlpha and for the Institute’s mission in collaborating with researchers, scientists, and marketers. The ability to get the latest medicines and techniques to market quicker was exciting to him.”

HudsonAlpha’s research in diseases of the brain was of particular interest to Roy. Diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s disease at 58, Roy was fascinated by the brain and enjoyed learning more about the Institute’s work on neurodegenerative diseases. Roy celebrated with scientific teams whenever an important breakthrough or advance was made, taking joy in the success of others, knowing their important work would benefit patients who faced some of the same struggles he had.
Rebecca notes that Sue supported Roy through every step of their life and shared his passion for HudsonAlpha. “She was quite the executive’s wife,” Rebecca said. “She ran their personal life and also served as an important advisor to Roy on business matters. They were a team.”
Sue was involved as a volunteer and board member at organizations across Huntsville, sharing Roy’s belief that strong nonprofits make for a stronger community. Toward the end of her life, Sue expressed interest in supporting nonprofits that helped children and improved pediatric care.
“As soon as I learned Dr. Kodani had worked at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital and would extend his research to his new role as Faculty Investigator at HudsonAlpha, I knew it would have made my mother happy,” said Rebecca.
Dr. Kodani specializes in understanding how genetic mutations disrupt critical mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental diseases. Much of his work has focused on pediatric patients, helping to understand the cellular disruptions that are the base of their symptoms and identify potential therapeutic options.
The Nichols’ planned gift supports Dr. Kodani’s research by helping to outfit his laboratory with the cutting-edge equipment he needs to continue his work at HudsonAlpha, such as a powerful confocal microscope.
“My lab studies the cellular and developmental disruptions that underlie the pathogenesis of genetic disorders and hope to develop treatments for kids with rare diseases. Sue and Roy Nichols’ generous gift will allow us to better understand the underpinnings of neurodevelopmental disorders in order to identify treatments that will improve the quality of life of the children who struggle with these conditions.” – Dr. Andrew Kodani
“It’s very exciting to see my parents’ legacy live on in this way,” said Rebecca. “My parents taught us you should leave something behind to help improve others’ lives. We’re trying to teach our children and grandchildren the same lessons now.”
As a nonprofit organization, HudsonAlpha relies on philanthropic support to support our scientists’ vital research.
If you are interested in learning more about how you can support HudsonAlpha through a planned gift, please contact Jeff Moore, Director of Planned Giving and Major Gift Officer, at jemoore@hudsonalpha.org.