Dr. Arthur Eastwood Broadus

Broadus, Dr., Arthur Eastwood
Arthur E. Broadus, MD, PhD of New Haven, CT, age 79, an eminent endocrinologist and scientist who discovered the PTHrP hormone, passed away Thursday, October 22, 2020 in Little Compton, RI.

Born in Knoxville, TN a son of the late Thomas H. and Lucy S. (Eastwood) Broadus, he was a longtime resident of New Haven, CT and a seasonal resident in both Little Compton, RI, and Delray Beach, FL. Arthur's family had deep roots in the American South dating back to the 1700's when his ancestors emigrated from Wales to Virginia prior to the American revolution. His great-grandfather, Dr. John A. Broadus, was a prominent pastor, professor and theologian, and a founder of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. A direct maternal relative was one of ten ministers who met in Branford, Connecticut, in 1700 to found what would become Yale College.

Dr. Broadus was a renowned scientific leader at Yale with special expertise in hormonal disorders of mineral metabolism. He graduated from the Lawrenceville School, and was the valedictorian at Washington and Lee University. He earned his PhD and MD degrees from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, where he developed a revolutionary new way to measure the activity of the parathyroid hormone, a breakthrough technology that became crucial to many of his subsequent discoveries. He trained in internal medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA as well as in endocrinology at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. He was recruited to the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven in 1976, where he spent the rest of his career, serving as Chief of the Section of Endocrinology and The Ensign Professor of Medicine. In his additional role as the Associate Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine for Research, he spearheaded the founding and structuring of the largest research facility at Yale University, the Anlyan Center. Dr. Broadus was also co-editor of one of the leading textbooks in the field, Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Dr. Broadus garnered many accolades, including induction into the American Society of Clinical Investigation, the Interurban Clinical Club and the Association of American Physicians. He was awarded the prestigious John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship andreceived the Fredric C Barter Award of the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research. Dr. Broadus was best known for the discovery of a new hormone, PTHrP (parathyroid hormone-related protein). His research group also developed the prototype of the initial PTHrP assays that are widely used today in clinical practice. As a direct result of his work, we now have better ways to diagnose and treat of one of the most common metabolic complications of cancer. A PTHrP analog now serves as an FDA-approved anabolic agent for the treatment of osteoporosis.

For Dr. Broadus, mentoring was a true calling. He trained scores of endocrinology fellows over the years. He was a beloved mentor who helped to launch the careers of many junior faculty who have gone on to their own leadership positions in academic medicine, industry and clinical practice. His academic colleagues at Yale and throughout the world will remember "Art" as a dear friend, creative scientist, wonderful clinician and role model – he was and will remain a true giant in the field and in the hearts of all who knew him. They will also remember his favorite expression, "does it pass the sniff test?", based on his long experience with dogs in Tennessee.

An art enthusiast, Arthur collected prints as a young man and later delighted in collecting the best work he could afford of painters he admired. He always loved music, from sneaking away from boarding school to hear Jazz in the Village, to in more recent years, packing in multiple operas, a play and a ballet into a single weekend. He was an avid fly fisherman, although, as he would often admit, better at fishing than catching!

Arthur will be remembered by all as an exemplary man of high character and dedication to others. He was always ready to help, and a true gentleman. While he was deeply dedicated to his scientific mission, he was also a gentle and loving father, husband and grandfather. His attention to and connection with his daughters and granddaughter will endure as a vital part of his legacy.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Carole (Dickinson) Broadus, his daughter, Courtney Broadus, and his granddaughter, Casey Eskridge. He was the father of the late Elizabeth Dickinson Eskridge and brother of the late Thomas H. Broadus, Jr. A virtual memorial service will be held in his honor in the coming weeks.

In lieu of flowers, contributions will be gratefully received by The Broadus Lectureship Fund at Yale School of Medicine, PO Box 7611, New Haven, CT 06519 which was established in his honor to fund distinguished leaders in endocrinology and metabolism to come to Yale and share their knowledge. Or, The Friends of Music at Yale (https://friendsofmusic.yale.edu), an organization dedicated to ensuring the highest possible quality of musical life at Yale, which Arthur participated in and supported throughout his life in New Haven.