Bruce Holm

Bruce A. Holm, PhD

Rochester, NY

Bruce A. Holm, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, Gynecology-Obstetrics, and Pharmacology & Toxicology, Senior Vice Provost at the State University of New York at Buffalo and Executive Director of the University's Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics & Life Sciences died at the age of 52 on February 9, 2011, of kidney cancer. Dr. Holm first came to SUNY at Buffalo as a Fellow in Perinatology in the Department of Gynecology-Obstetrics in 1987. He joined the full time faculty in 1989, rising rapidly to professor in 1996, and became a SUNY Distinguished Professor in 2009.

In 1994 he was named Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He moved to Senior Associate Vice President for Health Affairs in 2000, and to Senior Vice Provost in 2002. In 2004, Dr. Holm was named Executive Director of the Center for Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences.

Dr. Holm collaborated with SUNY at Buffalo faculty as a graduate student to conduct groundbreaking studies on the mechanisms of acute oxygen toxicity and in exploring therapeutic strategies to mitigate the damage. Throughout his 24 years at SUNY at Buffalo he was an innovative, productive research scientist. He published hundreds of scientific papers, and was awarded research grant funds in excess of $75,000,000.

He was a sought after evaluator of research by major scientific journals and by multiple governmental and not-for-profit research granting organizations. He was a world leader in defining the role of lung surfactant in lung diseases from birth through old age and in devising therapies for these diseases.

Dr. Satish K. Tripathi, UB Provost said, "Bruce was the exemplification of researcher, educator, collaborator and entrepreneur. As the architect of the contemporary manifestation of UB's New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, Bruce artfully combined his unique skills with his signature diplomatic manner to create a true center of excellence for research and innovation. As a world renowned scientist and entrepreneur, Bruce was known to many students and young faculty as the consummate mentor helping to support great scientific achievement. Bruce will be dearly missed by his friends and colleagues. He will be remembered as a great man of science and a true gentleman whose life's work will be evident for generations to come."

Dr. Holm was born on January 20, 1959, in Waterloo, Iowa, to Howard and Bernita Holm, and raised in West Des Moines. He received a BS degree in biochemistry from the University of Iowa and an MS and PhD in toxicology from the University of Rochester in 1987.

Dr. Holm is survived by his parents and cherished sons, Alexander and Christopher; beloved partner, Janet Penksa; devoted friend and ex-wife, Allison Holm; special aunt and uncle, Gladys and Glenn Reif; dear friends, Rena Pine and Willem Faber and countless friends, relatives and colleagues whose lives he has touched .

A memorial service will be held at Temple Sinai on Sunday, February 13, at 3 p.m., at 363 Penfield Road, Rochester, New York 14625. In lieu of flowers, friends wishing may make donations to the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center for the Bruce A. Holm Lectureship to be established at Wilmot Cancer Center and Roswell Park Cancer Institute, c/o Wilmot Cancer Center, 300 E. River Rd, Box 278996, Rochester, NY 14627. Friends are invited to bring a written memory or photo for the family's Memory Book. Online condolences may be made to www.anthonychapels.com.