In Memoriam: Kenneth M. Brinkhous (1908–2000)

Abstract

Kenneth Merle Brinkhous, one of the leading figures in the field of blood coagulation, hemorrhage, and thrombosis and one of founding members of the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis, died in Chapel Hill, NC, on December 11, 2000. At the time of his death, he was 92 years old. He had worked in his laboratory through the age of 91.Dr. Brinkhous first attended the United States Military Academy; but because of his desire to study medicine, he transferred to the University of Iowa and received his BA in 1929 and his MD degree from the University of Iowa in 1932.While at Iowa, he worked with such giants in the field as Homer Smith as well as Drs. Warner, Guest, Seegers, and Owen. His work at Iowa was interrupted by the Second World War. In 1941, Dr. Brinkhous joined the Army Medical Corps and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel and served on the staff of General Douglas MacArthur in Australia. He finished his tour of duty in the Army in 1945 and shortly thereafter became Chairman of the Department of Pathology at the University of North Carolina. He served in this position until 1973. While at North Carolina, he established a blood coagulation group and founded the Hemophilia and Thrombosis Centers, which became recognized both nationally and internationally. He also established a colony of hemophilia A and B dogs and a colony of von Willebrand disease swine.Among his many discoveries while at the University of North Carolina was the partial thromboplastin time, which he, along with Drs. Robert Wagner and Robert Langdell, described in 1953. The partial thromboplastin time is now used as a screening diagnostic test in laboratories around the world and forms the basis for most one-stale clotting tests. Dr. Brinkhous, along with Dr. Wagner, also showed that factor VIII could be dissociated from von Willebrand factor by varying the ionic strength of the solution. Dr. Brinkhous also pioneered the development of factor VIII fractions for replacement therapy for hemophilia. He and Dr. Wagner used amino acids to precipitate factor VIII, a procedure that was later adopted by Baxter-Hyland Laboratories for the production of Hemofil. More recently, Dr. Brinkhous, along with colleagues from around the country, played a major role in the gene therapy of hemophilia using the canine animal model as a large animal model for gene therapy.Dr. Brinkhous received many awards, one of which was his election to the American National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Institute of Medicine. He received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Chicago and the University of North Carolina. He became a Distinguished Professor of Pathology in 1970. After his retirement from the Chairmanship of Pathology, the Kenneth M. Brinkhous Distinguished Professorship was established in Dr. Brinkhous' honor. The Brinkhous-Bullitt Building housing the Department of Pathology was also named for him.Dr. Brinkhous was active in many professional organizations. He was active in the American Federation for Experimental Biology in Medicine. He was active in the International Committee on Nomenclature of the Clotting Factors. He was Secretary General of the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis, and was Editor of the AMA Journal of Pathology and Experimental Medicine. His bibliography includes 450 publications in well-referred journals.As a person, Dr. Brinkhous was known as a statesman. His administration in the Department of Pathology was known as a just and compassionate administration in which all people were treated with courtesy and respect. His son John stated, “I have never heard my father speak ill of anyone in the entire world.” Those of us who knew Dr. Brinkhous during his years at the University of North Carolina can verify this fact. He was intolerant of those who criticized his colleagues and peers. Dr. Brinkhous was a mentor to many medical students and offered financial aid to needy medical students throughout his career at the University of North Carolina.Dr. Brinkhous is survived by his wife of 64 years, Frances Brinkhous. His older son, William Brinkhous, preceded him in death in 1998. He is survived by one son, John Brinkhous; two daughters-in-law; his three granddaughters Rene, Heather, and Carol; and a great-granddaughter, Meghan.His death is a great loss to those of us at the University of North Carolina who served with him for over 40 years. His presence, influence, and wisdom shall be missed sorely by all of us. Kenneth Merle Brinkhous, one of the leading figures in the field of blood coagulation, hemorrhage, and thrombosis and one of founding members of the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis, died in Chapel Hill, NC, on December 11, 2000. At the time of his death, he was 92 years old. He had worked in his laboratory through the age of 91. Dr. Brinkhous first attended the United States Military Academy; but because of his desire to study medicine, he transferred to the University of Iowa and received his BA in 1929 and his MD degree from the University of Iowa in 1932. While at Iowa, he worked with such giants in the field as Homer Smith as well as Drs. Warner, Guest, Seegers, and Owen. His work at Iowa was interrupted by the Second World War. In 1941, Dr. Brinkhous joined the Army Medical Corps and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel and served on the staff of General Douglas MacArthur in Australia. He finished his tour of duty in the Army in 1945 and shortly thereafter became Chairman of the Department of Pathology at the University of North Carolina. He served in this position until 1973. While at North Carolina, he established a blood coagulation group and founded the Hemophilia and Thrombosis Centers, which became recognized both nationally and internationally. He also established a colony of hemophilia A and B dogs and a colony of von Willebrand disease swine. Among his many discoveries while at the University of North Carolina was the partial thromboplastin time, which he, along with Drs. Robert Wagner and Robert Langdell, described in 1953. The partial thromboplastin time is now used as a screening diagnostic test in laboratories around the world and forms the basis for most one-stale clotting tests. Dr. Brinkhous, along with Dr. Wagner, also showed that factor VIII could be dissociated from von Willebrand factor by varying the ionic strength of the solution. Dr. Brinkhous also pioneered the development of factor VIII fractions for replacement therapy for hemophilia. He and Dr. Wagner used amino acids to precipitate factor VIII, a procedure that was later adopted by Baxter-Hyland Laboratories for the production of Hemofil. More recently, Dr. Brinkhous, along with colleagues from around the country, played a major role in the gene therapy of hemophilia using the canine animal model as a large animal model for gene therapy. Dr. Brinkhous received many awards, one of which was his election to the American National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Institute of Medicine. He received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of Chicago and the University of North Carolina. He became a Distinguished Professor of Pathology in 1970. After his retirement from the Chairmanship of Pathology, the Kenneth M. Brinkhous Distinguished Professorship was established in Dr. Brinkhous' honor. The Brinkhous-Bullitt Building housing the Department of Pathology was also named for him. Dr. Brinkhous was active in many professional organizations. He was active in the American Federation for Experimental Biology in Medicine. He was active in the International Committee on Nomenclature of the Clotting Factors. He was Secretary General of the International Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis, and was Editor of the AMA Journal of Pathology and Experimental Medicine. His bibliography includes 450 publications in well-referred journals. As a person, Dr. Brinkhous was known as a statesman. His administration in the Department of Pathology was known as a just and compassionate administration in which all people were treated with courtesy and respect. His son John stated, “I have never heard my father speak ill of anyone in the entire world.” Those of us who knew Dr. Brinkhous during his years at the University of North Carolina can verify this fact. He was intolerant of those who criticized his colleagues and peers. Dr. Brinkhous was a mentor to many medical students and offered financial aid to needy medical students throughout his career at the University of North Carolina. Dr. Brinkhous is survived by his wife of 64 years, Frances Brinkhous. His older son, William Brinkhous, preceded him in death in 1998. He is survived by one son, John Brinkhous; two daughters-in-law; his three granddaughters Rene, Heather, and Carol; and a great-granddaughter, Meghan. His death is a great loss to those of us at the University of North Carolina who served with him for over 40 years. His presence, influence, and wisdom shall be missed sorely by all of us.