(Circulation. 1998;97:713-714.)
© 1998 American Heart Association, Inc.
Edgar Haber, MD
Innovative Scientist, Mentor, and Leader in Cardiovascular Medicine
James T. Willerson, MD, Houston, Tex
Edgar Haber,
Blout Professor of Biological Sciences at the Harvard School of Public
Health, died of multiple myeloma on October 13, 1997, at the age of 65
years. At the time of his death, Dr Haber was the director of the
Division of Biological Sciences at the Harvard School of Public
Health.
Dr Haber's contributions to cardiovascular research
were substantial, and he will be missed by scientists and
physician-scholars throughout the world. He was born in Berlin,
Germany. He obtained an AB degree from Columbia College and an MD
degree from the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York
City. His training in internal medicine was at Massachusetts General
Hospital in Boston. He served as an Associate at the National Heart
Institute in the laboratory of cellular physiology in Bethesda, Md. His
mentor at the NIH was Professor Christian Anfinsen, who later won the
Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Subsequently, he was an Honorary Clinical
Assistant in the Cardiac Department at St George's Hospital in London,
England.
Dr Haber began his faculty career as an instructor in medicine at
Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in 1963.
Within 8 years, he had been promoted to professor of medicine at
Harvard Medical School. From 1964 to 1988, he served as the chief of
the Cardiac Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. He was only the
third chief of this distinguished cardiac program up to that time,
following in the footsteps of Dr Paul Dudley White and Dr Edward Bland.
While at the Harvard Medical School, he was named Higgins Professor of
Medicine, director of the MD/PhD Program, and physician at
Massachusetts General Hospital.
His contributions to cardiovascular
medicine while he served as chief at Massachusetts General Hospital
were primarily in two areas: first, a pioneering series of innovative
and important research contributions on specific antibodies in the
recognition and treatment of various cardiovascular
disorders; and second, his important contributions to the development
of the fundamental understanding of the biological regulation of the
renin-angiotensin system and sensitive measurements of its
component parts. With Dr Robert Lefkowitz, he also contributed to the
initial measurement and characterization of ß-adrenergic receptors in
the heart, and with Dr Thomas Smith, to the development of
sensitive and specific radioimmunoassays for cardiac glycosides. At the
time of his death, Dr Haber had published 557 manuscripts.
During the 24 years that he served as chief at Massachusetts
General Hospital, Dr Haber developed an outstanding cardiac unit and
trained many leaders in American and worldwide
cardiology. Among his many trainees were Drs Charles
Francis, Thomas W. Smith, Lewis (Rusty) Williams, Robert
Lefkowitz, R.M. Zusman, Kenneth Shine, Adolph Hutter, Peter Block,
George Beller, Herman Gold, William Dec, Bill Carlson, Mark Estes,
Jeremy Ruskin, Sanjay Kaul, Pat O'Gara, Doug Mann, Guy Reed, John
DiMarco, Dean Ornish, Steve Osterly, Bob Johnson, Mu en Lee, Shaun
Coughlin, Ward Casscells, John Kastor, Mark Fishman, Myron Weisfeldt,
William John Powell, George Thibault, Marschall Runge, V.P. Butler,
Paul Armstrong, Douglas Chamberlain, Robert Leinbach, Richard Re,
Victor Dzau, Charles Homcy, Eve Slater, Kim Eagle, Tom Quertermous,
Suzanne Oparil, Christoph Bode, B.A. Khaw, Robert Cody, Igor
Palacios, Gerald Pohost, Christine Seidman, and myself.
In 1988, Dr Haber left Massachusetts General Hospital to become
president of the Squibb Institute for Medical Research in
Princeton, NJ, and 2 years later was appointed president of the
Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute. In 1991, he
returned to Harvard as the director of the Center for the Prevention of
Cardiovascular Disease at the Harvard School of Public
Health. There, he led 37 scientists in a molecular approach directed at
identifying the genes that have an important role in the development of
arteriosclerosis. As part of his own research
effort, he and his colleagues also developed an experimental murine
model that allowed the elucidation of the immune mechanisms that
contribute to transplant vasculopathy. His research work immediately
before his death had provided substantial insight into the
immunological alterations involved in the development of transplant
vasculopathy.
It is no exaggeration to say that Edgar Haber was a giant in the field
of cardiovascular medicine. He was an outstanding
mentor, he was a creative builder, he was a brilliant scientist, and he
was a fine clinical cardiologist. When he spoke, everybody listened. He
was thoughtful, incisive, critical, and articulate, and his insight
quickly reached the central core of any issue. One approached him with
some forethought and preparation. Sometimes while listening to others,
he would appear to be distant or even almost asleep, and then, as he
responded in a rapid and insightful manner, one would quickly be
reminded that he had heard and considered every word that had been
said.
He was a very private man. His inimitable style, his intellectual
capacity, and his sometimes unorthodox approach to his work intimidated
some, but he was deeply respected and admired by those with whom he
worked and those whom he trained.
He wanted to do special things in his research. He said to me on
several occasions, "I do not wish to do anything that others have
done before. I want my work to be unique and different in its insight.
It is a waste of time to do anything less."
As one got to know him personally, one found in this private and
distinguished man a wonderful sense of humor, a warmness and genuine
affection for others, a deep commitment to research and teaching in
cardiovascular medicine, a profound love of his family,
and a free and daring spirit that unabashedly ventured into any problem
that attracted him with imagination and innovation. He was
multitalented and had many interests outside of medicine. Indeed, his
knowledge of wine, music, restaurants, and current events dazzled and
impressed others.
For his trainees, he was always available and never too busy. He helped
me in too many ways to mention with his advice, encouragement, letters
of support, periodic suggestions, and sometimes even personal
competition. The standard of excellence that he set for himself and
others was extremely high, but his own style, accomplishments, and
encouragement made others do their best to emulate him. Few were as
successful, but he inspired all to try.
His death leaves a major void in cardiovascular
research and in mentorship and leadership in American
cardiovascular medicine. However, from a different
position now, I know that he wishes all of us to be imaginative and
innovative, to do important things, to lead and to train and to commit
one's professional life to excellence in the various areas of
cardiovascular medicine in which we work. He is missed;
I miss him very much.
