In Memoriam: Dr. Robert (Bob) Rubin

Monday, July 23, 2018

The transplant community recently lost a trailblazer in the field of Transplant Infectious Diseases with the death of Dr. Robert (Bob) Rubin. Dr. Rubin’s contributions to the development of Transplant Infectious Diseases cannot be understated. He developed innovative practices to include infectious diseases in the routine care of the transplant recipient, including rounding with the transplant team and improving communication between the primary team and consultants. The concepts he developed in our field from identifying the a predictable time course of common infections in the transplant recipient to the net state of immunosuppression continue to support our clinical care decisions and drive our research to understand the interaction between host and pathogen. Although I have only met Dr. Rubin in passing, he has had a profound impact on my career, providing the framework to engage with our transplant colleagues and provide direct care to our patients.