Gary D. Kruh: In Memoriam (1951–2011)
Authors: Kenneth D. Tew
Journal: Cancer Research (2011)

Dr. Gary D. Kruh, Director of the Cancer Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and member of the Cancer Research Editorial Board, died January 5, 2011, from a traumatic brain injury resulting from an accidental fall. He was 59.Born in Brooklyn, New York, Gary earned his PhD in biochemistry and his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine and subspecialty training in medical oncology at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He later completed training at the National Cancer Institute, where he ended as Senior Staff Fellow in the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology. From there, he moved to the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia where he rose from Associate Member to Senior Member during the period of 1991 to 2007. During his time at Fox Chase, he maintained clinical interests as an Attending Physician specializing in the treatment of lung cancer patients. As a physician, Gary was deeply committed to both cancer biology and curing patients.Gary's research focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms that enable cancer cells to resist chemotherapy agents. He established a significant body of work characterizing the roles that various ABC transporters play in governing the response of tumors and normal tissues to chemotherapy. In particular, his lab created a number of transporter knockout mouse models [a not inconsequential technical achievement at the time (1)] that were essential in determining responses to a range of cancer drugs (2–4). He and his team generated essential preclinical data and used it in ways that led to the identification of a number of new agents that interfered with transporter function and could be used as modulators of drug action. Such approaches were also applicable to understanding the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics properties of a number of novel cancer drugs and these studies translated well into clinical practice. In recent times, Gary had collaborated with Jim Gallo (5) at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, who said:“I think we'll all remember Gary for his jocular light-hearted nature; a live-life-to-the-fullest-yet-tread-lightly persona. I think his impact on people was significant; he was kind, reflective, and insightful with his comments framed with humor and soul. He was also a true collaborator whose love of science evolved as he went beyond a ‘grant-seeking’ mentality to appreciate the small details and saw that the final product had to connect all the pieces. This attitude was reflected in his scientific writings where you could truly sense his diligence.”In 2007, Gary left Fox Chase to take on the role of Director of the Cancer Center at UIC. His efforts worked to unite 180 laboratory, clinical science, and population science researchers who annually received a total of $49 million for cancer-related research. He reconfigured the Cancer Center's research programs to focus on cancer control and population science, carcinogenesis and chemoprevention, experimental therapeutics and imaging, and tumor cell biology. Just prior to his death, Gary celebrated with the American Cancer Society (ACS) the opening of the first Comprehensive Patient Navigation Center at UIC. He was instrumental in the partnership development effort between ACS and UIC clinical oncology programs, which led to this important event.“Gary will be remembered for his leadership, vision, energy, sense of humor, and integrity. During his 3 years as our director, he made great strides in creating a strong Cancer Center identity and unifying a very diverse group of cancer clinicians and researchers,” said JoAnne Sylvester, Associate Director for Administration at the UIC Cancer Center. “His strong grasp of how to bring disparate groups together and inspire them toward a common goal was truly a gift and inspires us to remain committed to work together to carry on his vision and build on the momentum he established for our center.”Gary was also a regular NIH reviewer of grants and was recently fondly remembered by members of the Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology study section who reflected that his chairmanship of the committee interpolated his intellect and ability to establish fair-mindedness in dealing with the ever-increasing grant pool.On a personal level, Gary was an unabashed fan of all New York sports teams (some agreed, most forgave); but his main passion was sailing, a pursuit that yielded a wonderful source of anecdotes. Of the many, I would like to recall two that perhaps help reflect his spirit and personality. Less than 24 hours after sailing a 45-foot catamaran out of Key West, tidal flows consorted to stick the vessel on a sand bar in the middle of entirely open water. As captain, Gary instructs the remaining 3 crew members into the open (albeit shallow) waters of the Gulf of Mexico. As he “steered,” 60 minutes of crew-mediated, ineffective pushing resulted in Gary's dissolution into fits of uncontrollable laughter as the incoming high tide on its own then proceeded to release the boat. On the same trip at the Dry Tortugas, a broken dinghy motor, lack of oars, and a strong tidal current left us to float helplessly towards Cuba. Grasping the only pylon separating U.S. territory from open water to Cuba, I will never forget his treatise on whether Fidel Castro would value a balding, beanpole New Yorker as his personal physician.As 2010 transitioned to 2011, I received word that Gary had fallen and was in the hospital. Directly, I fired off an e-mail suggesting to him that this was a pitying excuse to get out of our planned hike to the base of the Grand Canyon. Sadly, he never got to read the e-mail, or make the trip—but I suspect a hardy laugh would have been his reply. Next time you visit the sea or canyon give Gary a nod with a smile or laugh, and enjoy the rest of the day as he would.Gary is survived by his mother Helen Kruh, his uncle Ted Friedrich, and his sister Tina Kruh.