Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Research Articles

HomeCirculation ResearchVol. 131, No. 11In Memoriam Tribute to Jeffrey Robbins, PhD (1950–2022) Free AccessObituaryPDF/EPUBAboutView PDFView EPUBSections ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationsTrack citationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InMendeleyReddit Jump toFree AccessObituaryPDF/EPUBIn Memoriam Tribute to Jeffrey Robbins, PhD (1950–2022) Sakthivel Sadayappan and Evangelia G. Kranias Sakthivel SadayappanSakthivel Sadayappan Correspondence to: Sakthivel Sadayappan, PhD, MBA, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way Cincinnati, OH 45236-0575, Email E-mail Address: [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2006-7678 Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, (S.S.), University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH. *S. Sadayappan and E.G. Kranias contributed equally. Search for more papers by this author and Evangelia G. KraniasEvangelia G. Kranias Evangelia G. Kranias, PhD, Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology (E.G.K.), University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way Cincinnati, OH 45236-0575. Email E-mail Address: [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4621-6179 Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology (E.G.K.), University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH. *S. Sadayappan and E.G. Kranias contributed equally. Search for more papers by this author Originally published10 Nov 2022https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.122.322105Circulation Research. 2022;131:870–872“So why do I have the best job in the world? I get to ask the questions that I want to ask and can accrue the resources necessary to answer them. I get paid to play and, while playing, get to give something back to my students, fellows, colleagues, city and country. It is truly exhilarating to be able to make a difference, help people, acquire knowledge and have fun while doing it. As a boy I knew there was nothing else that I’d rather do and that is one thing that has remained constant throughout my career.”“Reflections” by Jeff Robbins during the 2009 Drake Daniel award program at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.Download figureDownload PowerPointThe cardiovascular world mourns the unexpected loss of Jeffrey Robbins, PhD, who died on August 20, 2022, in Cincinnati, OH, at the age of 71 years. Dr Robbins was known as the father of cardiac transgenesis and internationally recognized for his state-of-the-art cardiovascular research, using cardiac tissue-specific promoters and gene-targeting approaches,1,2 in investigating the molecular underpinnings of heart failure,3 hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,4 and proteotoxicity.5 Dr Robbins was Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC), former Director of the Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, former Executive Co-Director of the CCHMC Heart Institute, and a Daniel Drake Medalist at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr Robbins was not only a world-renowned cardiovascular scientist but also a visionary leader, a builder, an amazing mentor, a trusted collaborator, and a passionate human being. His charismatic personality allowed him to always lead by example. He was fair and straightforward, demanding of himself and others, and always striving for excellence. He made a difference in everything that he was involved. Importantly, he impacted and molded the careers of many scientists, leading them to new levels of excellence. Jeff was known and respected for his remarkable intellect, his penetrating scientific questions, and his enthusiasm for research.Dr Robbins received his undergraduate degree in 1972 from the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY. He completed his PhD work at the University of Connecticut at Storrs, CT, in 1976. After completion of his postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Cincinnati in 1978, he assumed the position of Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO. In 1985, he was recruited to the University of Cincinnati as Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Cell Biophysics and promoted to Professor of Pharmacology and Cell Biophysics in 1992. In 1993, he moved to Cincinnati Children’s, one of the top three pediatric hospitals in the United States, to serve as the director of a new Division of Molecular Cardiovascular Biology. He was able to recruit young and dynamic scientists, including Jeffery Molkentin, Katherine Yutzey, and others, promoting the division to become one of the most renowned cardiovascular centers worldwide. Dr Robbins became the Associate Chair for Research at CCHMC in 1999 and later the founder of the CCHMC Heart Institute in 2008. He served as Executive Director of the institute from 2008 to 2019. Although a basic researcher, he added clinical services and hired extraordinary cardiologists and cardiovascular surgeons, advancing the stature of CCHMC Heart Institute to become a national leader in pediatric and congenital heart surgery and transplantation programs. The division that Dr Robbins inaugurated in 1993 evolved to become an Institute with as of this date over 800 employees.Dr Robbins pioneered several areas in cardiovascular genetics and generated techniques and reagents that helped to move the field forward. He discovered the α-myosin heavy chain promoter, often called the Robbins promoter. His first Circulation Research article was published in 1991, reporting the expression profile of α- and β-myosin heavy chain isoforms,6 which led to the discovery of the cardiac-specific and strongly expressing α-myosin heavy chain promoter for generating transgenic mouse models. This promoter has been used worldwide to generate hundreds of transgenic mouse models that have provided unique insights into our understanding of cardiac physiology and pathophysiology. Subsequently, his α-myosin heavy chain promoter was also used to generate cardiac-specific cre-mediated conditional knockout mice. He freely shared the promoter without conditions with over 1500 labs worldwide. His contributions established him as one of the top ten scientists nationwide in molecular cardiovascular research. His peers will remember him as a dedicated scientist that markedly advanced basic understanding of the heart structure and physiology.As a mentor, Dr Robbins was known for his leadership skills, positive guidance, and vision. He had the capacity to understand the strengths and weaknesses of his fellows and to assign scientific projects and tasks accordingly. He regularly conducted project reviews to keep his fellows “on track” and challenged them regarding the current literature. He was personally involved with and committed to his students and fellows; he insisted that they continually question their research direction and the significance of their work. As a mentor, Dr Robbins was a realist, guiding peers and students based on insights derived from his experience. This had the desired effect of avoiding preventable pitfalls. He enjoyed challenging his trainees and colleagues with new ideas and methodologies, soliciting open discussion, and providing constructive criticism. While maintaining realistic expectations, he also insisted on quality of performance, not quantity, as the best outcome. Accordingly, Dr Robbins believed in expanding his fellows’ capabilities as independent researchers. Dr Robbins famously used an annual assessment report, helping his trainees and colleagues in honestly reporting their shortcomings and goals. Dr Robbins was known to give his trainees and colleagues ample freedom to make their own experimental design decisions. However, he would judiciously intervene to provide the right balance so that they could learn from their mistakes and develop as scientists with self-confidence. His famous mantra was, “Don’t do experiments because you can; do experiments that answer your question.” His philosophy promoted novel research directions, and his trainees were the clear ultimate beneficiaries.Leadership is the ability to motivate a group of individuals toward a common goal. As a research scientist for over 30 years, Dr Robbins practiced these leadership skills in the classroom and lab, while, at the same time, earning many national and international awards recognizing his contributions to cardiovascular research. As an invited speaker, he was a master in engaging his audience and encouraging questions to stimulate discussion. He was a member of the American Heart Association (AHA) since 1990 and the International Society for Heart Research since 1998. He was Elected Fellow of the AHA and the International Society of Heart Research in 2001 and received the National AHA Research Achievement Award (2005), the AHA Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Council’s Distinguished Scientist Award (2008), and the AHA National Distinguished Scientist Award (2011). He also received the International Society for Heart Research’s Presidential Award for Research (2007) and the International Society for Heart Research’s Research Achievement Award (2010). In addition, he received the prestigious Louis and Artur Lucian Award for Research in Circulatory Diseases, the University of Cincinnati’s Rieveschl Award, the Drake Medal, and the William Cooper Procter Medallion, the highest award given by Cincinnati Children’s. Reflecting on his outstanding writing and editing abilities, he began his service on the Circulation Research editorial board in 1991 and served as a senior associate editor beginning in 2009.Although Jeff appeared tough on the surface, down deep he was a friendly and caring person. He was full of life, and his presence in the room could be loud and fun. Jeff always stayed connected with his trainees (even after they left his lab) at a personal and family level and invited them to his house as well as visiting their homes, creating a special bond. As a mentor, he always brought out the best and was quick to recognize our achievements, as well as our limitations. Throughout his career, Dr Robbins always made time for everyone, believing that open communication was the best road to acknowledging mistakes and, hence, maturing as a scientist. Dr Robbins’ philosophy was that science was a matter of experimenting and trying different methods to test a hypothesis, whether right or wrong but we must be ready to explain why an idea failed or succeeded.In summary, Jeff was an inspiration to all his colleagues. He is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years, Roselyn, 2 children, 100s of trainees, collaborators, and grateful scientists. Jeff’s substantial legacy is such that, in a sense, he is still among us. He was and is known for the “Robbinspromoter.” As we now look back on his life and impact, we can say that in a greater sense he was an incredible “promoter” of the research in the field of cardiology and the careers of cardiology researchers. He will always remain within our hearts.Article InformationSources of FundingNone.Disclosures None.Footnotes*S. Sadayappan and E.G. Kranias contributed equally.For Sources of Funding and Disclosures, see page 872.Correspondence to: Sakthivel Sadayappan, PhD, MBA, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way Cincinnati, OH 45236-0575, Email [email protected]uc.eduEvangelia G. Kranias, PhD, Department of Pharmacology and Systems Physiology (E.G.K.), University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 231 Albert Sabin Way Cincinnati, OH 45236-0575. Email [email protected]uc.edu

Current Opinion in Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery was launched in 1993. It is one of a successful series of review journals whose unique format is designed to provide a systematic and critical assessment of the literature as presented in the many primary journals. The fields of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery are divided into 11 sections that are reviewed once a year. Each section is assigned a Section Editor, a leading authority in the area, who identifies the most important topics at that time. Here we are pleased to introduce the Journal's Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS Ravi N. Samy and Nael ShomanRavi N. SamyDr Ravi N. Samy, MD, FACS is Chief of the Division of Otology/Neurotology and Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Cincinnati / Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, USA. Dr Ravi N. Samy has been a Neurotologist at the University of Cincinnati / Cincinnati Children's Medical Center Gardner Neuroscience Institute and the program director of the Neurotology Fellowship at the UC College of Medicine since 2005. He is also the director of the Adult Auditory Implant Program as well as a Professor of Otolaryngology. Dr Samy was born in what is now known as Chennai, India, and immigrated to the United States at the age of 4. After living for one year in Canton, Ohio and 3 years in Connecticut, he spent most of his formative years living in Texas. He went to Duke University in North Carolina for his undergraduate education. After graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in zoology, Dr Samy attended the Duke University School of Medicine until his graduation in 1995. He then completed his resident training at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he developed a love for otology, neurotology and skull base surgery. Dr Samy spent two years at the University of Iowa as a Neurotology fellow before moving back to Texas to be an assistant professor at the UT-Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Dr Samy decided to move to Cincinnati because he was enamored with the phenomenal academic opportunity he found in the Department of Otolaryngology at UCMC and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). During his time at UCMC he has created an ACGME accredited, two-year Neurotology fellowship, which is one of approximately 20 in the country. His research interests include cochlear and auditory brainstem implantation as well as acoustic neuromas, neurofibromatosis type 2, facial nerve tumors and other diseases and disorders of the lateral skull base. Dr Samy is also interested in using novel techniques and technologies to eradicate tumors, such as the use oncolytic virotherapy. He is collaborating with researchers in India to incorporate these technologies to enhance global health and increase collaboration between UC and international institutions, thus benefiting both US citizens and those of other nations. Robert S. Hong and Zhengqing HuRobert S. HongDr Robert S. Hong, MD, PhD is a partner, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Research at Michigan Ear Institute. He is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery at Wayne State University, and has joint appointments at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine and the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State University. Dr Hong received his undergraduate degree at Harvard University and medical degree from the University of California at Irvine. He completed his otolaryngology residency at the University of Iowa and his accredited fellowship in ear and skull base surgery at Michigan Ear Institute. He is board-certified in adult and pediatric Neurotology, Otology, Otolaryngology, and Skull Base Surgery. He has a PhD in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Iowa for his work toward improving the understanding of speech in noise by cochlear implant recipients. He has also completed research fellowships sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the Doris Duke Foundation. Dr Hong is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery the American Neurotology Society, the Otosclerosis Study Group, and the Michigan Otolaryngological Society. He is chairman of the ANS Social Media Committee and serves as President-Elect for the Michigan Otolaryngological Society. He has been the principal investigator for numerous clinical studies, including those involving Meniere's disease, tinnitus, otosclerosis, cochlear implants and other implantable hearing devices. Dr Hong is the Chief Medical Director for the Robert H. Mathog Lions Hearing Centers, Lions Foundation of Michigan— a charitable organization dedicated to providing hearing-related services to individuals and communities through screening, diagnosis, treatment, education and research, regardless of ability to pay. He is also a past Chairman of the Lions Hearing Center of Michigan and a past Director of the Lions Hearing Clinic at Michigan Ear Institute. Zhengqing HuZhengqing HuDr Zhengqing Hu, MD and PhD is Professor and Director of the Stem Cell Research Laboratory in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, USA. Dr Hu is also a Health Science Specialist and the Director of the Hearing Regeneration Laboratory at the John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan. Dr Hu was born in Shanghai, China, where he lived for 30 years. He received his M.D. from Shanghai Medical University (currently Fudan University Shanghai Medical College), Shanghai, China. He had the residency and fellowship training, together with a PhD program focusing on neurotology and hearing research in HuaShan Hospital and EENT Hospital in Shanghai Medical University. Dr Hu became a faculty member and Attending Doctor in Renji Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University (currently Jiaotong University School of Medicine), Shanghai, China. He went to Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, for his second PhD program focusing on cell replacement therapy for the inner ear, which was supported by the fellowships from the Swedish Institute and Karolinska Institute-Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Dr Hu attended the University of Virginia for his postdoctoral training after completing his second PhD study. He joined the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine as a faculty member and established his laboratory in 2009. He set up his hearing regeneration laboratory in John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in 2018. He has been funded by NIH, VA, and private hearing research foundations, including the American Hearing Research Foundation, Deafness Research Foundation, National Organization for Hearing Research Foundation, and the American Academy of Audiology. He is the member of the study section of national and international grant review committees, professional journal editorial committees, and professional societies. His laboratories explore stem cell-based biological and translational strategies to replace injured sensory cells and synapses to rescue hearing loss. His research focuses on inner ear developmental biology, stem cell biology, auditory synapse biology, epigenetics, and hearing regeneration research for the auditory system. Arnaud F. BewleyArnaud F. BewleyDr Arnaud F. Bewley is an Associate Professor in Otolaryngology at the University of California – Davis, USA, where he specializes in head and neck cancer surgery and microvascular free-flap reconstruction. He is the Director of the Division of Head and Neck Surgery and the Director of the Head and Neck Cancer and Microvascular Surgery Fellowship. Dr Bewley grew up in Connecticut and completed his undergraduate degree in physics at Yale University, USA. He spent a year volunteering at a health clinic in Jeremie, Haiti before studying medicine at Columbia University in New York, USA. His professional training began at University of Pennsylvania, USA, where he completed a general surgery internship followed by residency in otolaryngology. He then completed a fellowship in head and neck cancer surgery and microvascular reconstruction at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), USA. His primary clinical interests include the surgical management of benign and malignant tumors of the face, mouth, throat, neck, and thyroid. He has a special interest in using advanced microvascular free-flap techniques to maximize patient post-operative function. In addition, he has an interest in using minimally invasive transoral robotic techniques to treat cancers of the tonsil and base of tongue. Dr Bewley's primary research interest is the study of oncologic outcomes following treatment of head and neck tumors. He has a particular interest in studying outcomes for advanced non-melanomatous skin cancers of the head and neck given the relative paucity of data guiding treatment of these tumors. In addition, he is involved in research to optimize post-operative care of patients after free-flap surgery and translational research on the use of fluorescence imaging to assess margin status. Dr Bewley is involved in teaching at multiple levels at UC Davis. In addition to daily proctoring of residents in the otolaryngology residency program, he is the Director of the Head and Neck / Microvascular fellowship and directs an annual otolaryngology resident bootcamp.

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Research Articles

Articles published on Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Development of a multimodal geomarker pipeline to assess the impact of social, economic, and environmental factors on pediatric health outcomes.

132 Modernizing Onboarding for Clinical Research Professionals: An Interactive and Adoptable Approach

Impact of a relocation to a new critical care building on pediatric safety events.

The Phenotype of a Bone Marrow Transplant Nurse: Survival of the Fittest

Genetic counseling clinic model expansion: Impact on access for general genetics clinic.

THU203 Self-puberty Staging In Endocrine Encounters During The COVID Pandemic

Regionalization or Access to Care? A Joint Pediatric Heart Care Program That Achieves Both: One Program-Two Sites.

Third-Party and Patient-Specific Donor-Derived Virus-Specific T Cells Demonstrate Similar Efficacy and Safety for Management of Viral Infections after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Children and Young Adults

In Memoriam Tribute to Jeffrey Robbins, PhD (1950-2022).

IMPROVING COLLABORATIVE CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH ASD, INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY, AND OTHER NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS WITHIN A PSYCHIATRIC MEDICAL HOME

1.45 Increasing Access to ASD Research: The Significance of Home Visits in Enrollment of Disadvantaged Groups

Pancreatitis in the Complex Care Population: Presentation, Incidence, and Severity.

Brief Report: Telehealth Satisfaction Among Caregivers of Pediatric and Adult Psychology and Psychiatry Patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disability in the Wake of Covid-19.

A Large Naturalistic Study on the BRACHA: Confirmation of the Predictive Validity.

Thinking big: the need for innovation in the production of lentivirus-based cell and gene therapies

Improving Anxiety Screening in Patients with Turner Syndrome

Early Hydroxyurea Use May be Neuroprotective in Children with Sickle Cell Anemia

Editorial introductions.

6.19 Outcomes of Specialized Psychiatric Inpatient Crisis Intervention for Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Understanding Pediatric Surgery Cancellation: Geospatial Analysis.

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