Gerald Van Hoosier, DVM, a pioneer in the field of Comparative Medicine, passed away on November 18, 2020.
Following graduation from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M, in 1957, Jerry began his career at the National Institutes of Health focused on the development and safety evaluation of polio vaccines. He moved on to the faculty at Baylor University and then Washington State University (WSU) where he was a faculty member and directed the WSU Laboratory Animal Resources program from 1969 to 1975.
In 1975, he became the founding chair of the Department of Comparative Medicine at the UW School of Medicine, a role he retained until becoming an emeritus professor in 1995. Jerry was a diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine (ACLAM) and served on their board of directors and as president in 1968. He also served as president of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) in 1992 and was on the governing board of the International Council of Laboratory Animal Science from 1995 to 1999.
He published over 100 scientific papers, and was co-editor of Laboratory Hamsters and of the Handbook of Laboratory Animal Science, Volumes II and III. He was the recipient of numerous awards including the Griffin Award from AALAS, the Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M, and the Nathan R. Brewer Lifetime Achievement Award from ACLAM. Dr. Van Hoosier was a “Mentor’s mentor”. He will be remembered as a kind, thoughtful, caring leader and role model for hundreds of today’s laboratory animal veterinarians.
Editor’s note: Originally published by the Department of Comparative Medicine.
