SUBJECT: Colin M. Bloor Obituary

Colin M. Bloor, M.D., Distinguished Emeritus Professor of Pathology at UC San Diego School of Medicine, died at San Diego Hospice on September 9 from complications due to a stroke suffered nearly two months ago. He was 77 years old.

Dr. Bloor was an internationally renowned cardiovascular pathologist who was one of the first faculty members recruited to the UC San Diego Department of Pathology when it was founded in 1968. Author of more than 460 scientific publications and several books, he was best known for his work on the ability of the human heart to develop collateral circulation following obstruction to blood flow and the effects of exercise on heart function, and for his research on the molecular basis of heart failure. His research was continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health, including a MERIT award.

“Colin was a superb scientist and teacher and was incredibly effective in helping to build our medical school,” said David A. Brenner, Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences and dean of the UCSD School of Medicine.

Dr. Bloor received his M.D. degree and completed a pathology residency at Yale Medical School. He was a research fellow at the Nuffield Institute for Medical Research at Oxford. After an additional research fellowship at Yale, he spent four years at the Walter Reed Army Institute before coming to UC San Diego in 1968. He remained on the faculty of UC San Diego until his retirement in 2002.

He was a fellow of the National Science Foundation and the American College of Cardiology and was the founding Editor-in-Chief of the journal Cardiovascular Pathology. He served on NIH study sections and was visiting professor at prestigious institutions throughout the world. He was a member of the International Academy of Pathology, the American Heart Association, American Society of Investigative Pathology, the International Society for Heart Research, and the American College of Forensic Medicine among others.

He was also very involved in University of California activities, including service as chair of the campus Committee on Academic Personnel, chair of the Privilege and Tenure Committee, Director of the Molecular Pathology Graduate Program, and Acting Chair of the Department of Pathology. He had just been appointed to chair the Council of University of California Emeriti Associations for the coming year.

"Colin Bloor was truly a giant in the field of cardiovascular pathology research, a talented administrator, and an outstanding teacher. He will be sorely missed, but we take comfort in the fact that his legacy will endure through the lives and careers of his many trainees," said David N. Bailey, former chairman of the UC San Diego Department of Pathology.

Palmer W. Taylor, Dean of the UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences recalls that "Colin's work was a critical part of the internationally recognized research programs in the cardiovascular sciences at UC San Diego during its formative years. As a junior faculty member joining the Department of Medicine, I remember well his commitment to these endeavors and his abiding interest in developing the human disease course in the medical curriculum".

"Colin's research provided the basis for current work on signaling in angiogenesis and was of such importance that he became one of the early recipients of an automatic funding extension from NIH." said Lawrence Brunton, UC San Diego Professor of Pharmacology.

Dr. Bloor is survived by his wife, Maxine, of La Jolla; children Colin Bloor (Kris), Nadine Wilson (Ollie), and Lindsey Bloor; and grandson, Nolan Bloor.

A memorial service will be held at the Faculty Club on Sunday, October 17th at 2 p.m.

David A. Brenner, M.D. Vice Chancellor-Health Sciences