Henry Krum: clinician, researcher and scientist

6 March 1958 – 28 November 2015

Henry Krum was one of Australia’s leading clinical and medical researchers, and his recent passing at an early age is a great loss to the Australian medical research community. Henry was a thought leader in clinical cardiovascular research, and his work in the area of therapeutics, in particular the role of β-blockers in managing heart failure, was ground-breaking, changing the way that patients are treated. Henry’s love of and excitement about posing a question and designing a clever way to answer it was infectious, and led to a very creative approach to research that often challenged clinical convention. Henry’s own words, “if we knew what we were doing, it wouldn’t be research”, epitomised his understated approach to forging one of the most successful careers in clinical research in Australia. His talent and demeanour led to numerous invitations to participate in, and often chair, the steering committees of many of the major international clinical outcome trials with an impact on treatment guidelines. In 2014, The Lancet recognised Henry’s career and his having put Australia on the map with respect to clinical trials in heart failure.

Henry graduated in medicine at the University of Melbourne in 1981, and completed his PhD in 1992. Henry undertook a post-doctoral fellowship at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Centre in New York, and then returned to the Austin Hospital in 1993, before moving to Monash University and the Alfred Hospital in 1997. Henry established the Monash Centre of Cardiovascular Research and Education in Therapeutics in 2003, which expanded and prospered under his leadership. Henry’s research was supported by a series of three prestigious National Health and Medical Research Council program grants, the most recent being awarded for 2016–2020. Henry’s work was very much about exploring opportunities for translating discovery science, from focusing on basic mechanisms and identifying novel therapeutic targets through to therapeutic treatment trials of the efficacy and effectiveness of interventions. He provided great opportunities for young researchers to develop careers, and many have gone on to leadership roles in the clinical and medical research communities. Henry downplayed his significant achievements, and seemed blissfully unaware of his significant status and position in the medical research community.

In 2012, Henry was diagnosed with a pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer. The prognosis was poor. Henry was able to enjoy a 2-year reprieve, during which time he resumed “business as usual”. Ironically, the last year of Henry’s life was academically one of his most successful. Even in his final months he was excitedly talking about the future of the Centre, although saddened, as we all were, by the knowledge that he might not be able to play an active role.

Henry Krum is survived by his wife Lauren, his children Joshua and Emily, and his sister Sharon.