Blanchard was born to Nathaniel and Constance (née Greene) Blanchard on Feb. 20, 1954.
Blanchard’s research focused on characterizing enzymes’ mechanisms of action through a combination of structural, kinetic and chemical analyses. In the early portion of his career, Blanchard studied enzymes involved in biosynthesis and metabolism. Later, he turned his attention to enzymes found in bacterial pathogens such as tuberculosis.
Over the course of his career, Blanchard published almost 200 peer-reviewed articles and received six full and four provisional patents. He was also a dedicated supporter of young scientists: He encouraged undergraduates to join his lab; served as adviser to Einstein’s Student Journal Club and Summer Undergraduate Research Program; and advocated for retirement benefits on behalf of young faculty.