After a day of demonstrating just how far the science of cardiovascular research had been advanced, guests of the ACRC’s 50th anniversary celebration reconvened in the evening to connect on a more personal level, to celebrate, and to reminisce. They also came together to honor the man whose vision and tenacity launched and sustained the research center that now bears his name, François M. Abboud, MD.
Though Abboud had been unable to attend the symposium for long earlier in the day, he returned in the evening surrounded by family and friends. Attendees formed a long line to greet Abboud. Others made sure to grab a selfie. the founding director and former chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. Over the next hour guests caught up with each other as well, in some cases reuniting decades after they had worked together at Iowa.
Barry London, MD, PhD, the current Director of the ACRC and of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, formally welcomed everyone. He invited them to take their seats and enjoy their meals and more conversation. London then introduced Denise Jamieson, MD, MPH, Vice President for Medical Affairs at University of Iowa Health Care and Dean of the Carver College of Medicine.
Jamieson was brief but heartfelt in her tribute to the decades of success within the ACRC, its research discoveries and the difference its members have made in the lives of people around the world. She cited the impact of Abboud and quoted him on one of the secrets of the center’s success. “He said, ‘I couldn’t have done it anywhere but Iowa.’” The collaborative spirit and the selflessness imbued in the center’s ethos, Jamieson said, are “the epitome of UI Health Care’s motto: ‘Changing medicine. Changing lives.’”
She also cited the ACRC’s focus on good mentorship as a part of its collaborative nature. “Good mentorship provides hope,” she said. Jamieson then invited everyone in the audience to stand up if Abboud’s mentorship affected their career. A loud round of applause rang out as everyone in the room took to their feet.
A microphone was passed to Abboud, who also spoke briefly. “Iowa is a fabulous place,” he said. “There’s a lot of bonding among people.” He said that the character of Iowa makes it easy to celebrate the success of peers. “We care for each other. The more you live here, the more you feel that. We care what happens to each other and that builds structure and strength.”
London then introduced the evening’s keynote speaker, Joseph A. Hill, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Molecular Biology at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. A former fellow and faculty member at Iowa, Hill also offered perspective on what makes Iowa unique as well as the importance of Abboud’s leadership. “Everyone in this room is here because of Frank. And Frank is here because of Doris,” Hill said, referring to Abboud’s wife, leading to another round of applause.
Hill recapped the state of cardiovascular disease and its current and forecasted burden globally. Despite the grim statistics Hill presented, he balanced this with many bright therapeutic spots on the horizon—both medical and mechanical—that could reduce or even reverse some trends.
As he concluded, he returned to the unique strength of the ACRC, generous mentorship. Hill offered some lessons he had learned while at Iowa. They centered around working and failing fast and learning from those failures even faster. He explained that his mentors at Iowa gave him the space and the support in how to ask good and meaningful questions in search of useful answers. And then, most important, he said, you have to give as good as you got to the next generation of scientists. “What I learned here was that when you lead by example, the lessons last much longer.”
