As most of you are aware, the UNMC College of Medicine lost a truly remarkable faculty member on Jan. 27 with the passing of Dr. Diana Florescu.
Dr. Florescu, professor in the department of internal medicine, division of infectious diseases, had been at UNMC since 2006. She was an outstanding clinician, with a focus on infections in transplant patients. In addition, Dr. Florescu was able to translate her clinical interests into an exceptional clinical research career that was recognized by her being named as this year’s recipient of the Scientist Laureate Award by the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research. Also of note, shortly after the onset of the pandemic, Dr. Florescu stepped forward and led UNMC clinical trials to develop new vaccines and therapies to prevent and treat COVID-19. Finally, she was a role model and mentor for faculty and trainees, both within and outside UNMC.
Her energy and passion for whatever she chose to do, whether it be medicine or ballroom dancing, was transferred to all around her. There are many who will carry on the legacy of Dr. Florescu. As an infectious disease physician as well, I had the opportunity to interact directly with Dr. Florescu and can attest to the impact that she had within UNMC and the overall field of infectious diseases. We all will miss her deeply, and we express our deepest sympathies to her husband, our fellow faculty member Dr. Marius Florescu, and her family.
I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank another UNMC legend, Bob Bartee, longstanding vice chancellor for external relations, who is retiring this month after 42 years at UNMC. I can think of few individuals who have had the impact that he has had on UNMC as he helped chancellors, deans, institute directors, and faculty successfully navigate the often-challenging political landscape to allow UNMC to accomplish its missions.
Bob also was an ever-present cheerleader for UNMC, and his optimism for how UNMC could be even bigger and better energized all who met him. My wife and I also appreciated the extra effort that Bob made to welcome new transplants to Nebraska and share his pride and knowledge of his native state. We fondly remember Bob and his wife, Helen, inviting us to accompany them for an evening of sandhill crane watching in Gibbon, Nebraska, followed by dinner at Chances R in York on the way back to Omaha.
Bob, thanks for your 40-plus years of dedication to UNMC and Nebraska. We have all benefited greatly from your efforts. On behalf of the entirety of the College of Medicine, we wish you all the best in retirement, but we hope that you will continue to grace us with your presence periodically.