F. Gary Toback, MD, PhD
October 23, 1941 - July 20, 2016
Gary Toback, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine (Section of Nephrology) passed away on Wednesday, July 20, 2016. Dr. Toback was 74 years old and is survived by his wife, Phyllis and three children: David, Alison and Jonathan. He was a longstanding distinguished member of the Department of Medicine faculty for over 40 years who was recognized as for his outstanding work as an investigator, clinician, mentor and leader.
Dr. Toback was born in Brooklyn New York, on October 23, 1941. He received his AB from Columbia University in 1963 and his MD from New York University School of Medicine in 1967. He completed his residency training in clinical medicine in 1969 at Case Western Reserve University during which time he received the Upjohn Achievement Award for Outstanding Hospital Work. Upon completion, he served in the US Navy Medical Corps as Medical Officer on the USS Milwaukee for one year. In 1974 he earned his PhD in Biochemistry from Boston University and graduated from Harvard’s nephrology fellowship training program where he was supported by a National Kidney Foundation Fellowship Award and a Special Fellowship from NIH.
Dr. Toback joined the faculty of the Section of Nephrology in 1974 as an assistant professor and was promoted to professor of medicine in 1985. He served as interim chief of the Section of Nephrology from 2008-March 2015 where he worked hard to restore the Section to financial stability and academic success. Last November the Section recognized Gary with an all-day symposium and celebratory dinner in his honor.
Dr. Toback was a world-renowned expert in acute renal injury and kidney growth factors. He published more than 100 articles dealing with renal cell biology, kidney and gastric epithelial cell growth factors, and related topics in renal and gastrointestinal wound healing. He owned nearly 20 patents for his work. His contribution to science included novel discoveries related to the molecular mechanisms by which a novel gastric epithelial cell protein protects against disruption of mucosal barrier function and structure. He also investigated cytoprotective mechanisms by which a peptide fragment of the protein stimulates accumulation of tight junction and adherens junction proteins in epithelial cell monolayers and in the mouse colon in vivo and the role of heat shock proteins as mediators of cytoprotection. Dr. Toback focused his investigations on identifying novel cell-derived proteins that protect and/or facilitate repair of injured epithelial tissues, initially in acute kidney injury, and more recently in oral mucositis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). His lab characterized a novel 18-kD protein from the gastric antrum of seven different species, including humans that is cell protective, motogenic, mitogenic and anti-apoptotic that also increases accumulation of tight junction proteins in epithelial cells in vivo and in cell culture. Recently he identified the cell surface receptor for AMP-18/gastrokine-1 as the cholecystokinin-B/gastrin receptor (CCKBR), a G-protein coupled receptor. At the time of his death he was conducting studies focused on identifying mechanisms by which AMP peptide can protect and speed healing of the injured oral mucosa following radio/chemotherapy by increasing formation of specific tight junction proteins, yet act additively with radiation or cisplatin to inhibit tumor cell growth.
Dr. Toback was an elected member of both the prestigious Association of American Physicians and the American Society for Clinical Investigation. He was also a fellow of the American Heart Association’s Council on Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease. Nationally, he was an active member of the National Kidney Foundation, the American Society of Nephrology and served on several study sections and review committees for the National Institutes of Health. He was the Founding Scientist for NephRX Corporation.
As a member of the University of Chicago community for over 40 years, Dr. Toback willingly gave his time to serve on many committees in the Department of Medicine, Biological Sciences Division and at the University level. He was a member of the Committee of Cell Physiology, Committee on Cancer Biology and Committee of Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition. He also served as the Research Subject Advocate of the Clinical Resource Center for the CTSA since 2003.
The Department of Medicine is deeply saddened by this sudden loss of Gary as a loyal friend and a helpful colleague.
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