Cancer has claimed yet another life too young as it's announced that the co-screenwriter of 'Monsters, Inc.' and various other Pixar films Dan Gerson has passed away at just 49-years-old. This comes following a battle with brain cancer, though he is thought to have died peacefully.

Monsters UniversityGerson co-wrote Monsters University

It was reported in the New York Times obituary column yesterday that he lost his battle with cancer on Saturday (February 6th 2016) while at his home in Los Angeles. It described him as having 'a unique zest for life, its big and little moments, and brought that spirit to all of his loved ones'.

Gerson most famously co-wrote the screenplays for the Oscar winning 'Monsters, Inc.' (with Andrew Stanton) starring the voices of Billy Crystal and John Goodman and it's sequel 'Monsters University' (with Robert L. Baird and Dan Scanlon) from Pixar and Walt Disney Pictures, while the most recent film he was working on was the recently announced 'Cars 3', the original of which he had also contributed on. He wrote 2014's 'Big Hero 6' (with Baird and Jordan Roberts) which was another Oscar winner.

More: Read our review of 'Monsters, Inc.'

In his career, he was nominated for various awards and won a shared BAFTA Children's Award for 'Monsters, Inc.' in 2001 with the other screenwriters. Though he was raised in New York on the Upper West Side - enjoying musical theatre in high school and attending Cornell University before going to NYU Film School - Hollywood became his heart as he devoted his work to animated stories after his career kick-off on NBC's 'Something So Right'.

He is survived by his wife of 20 years Beau Stacom, his children Claire and Asher and parents, as well as a sister, nieces and nephews. The NYT obituary reveals that services will take place in LA and for anyone wishing to make a donation in his memory, they must direct their thoughts to Dr. Linda Liau of the Brain Tumor Program at UCLA.