In memoriam: Dr. Glenn Langer, cardiovascular scholar, mentor, humanitarian

Dr. Glenn Langer, a prolific cardiovascular researcher and long-time faculty member and administrator at theDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA who went on to establish a college-readiness program for underprivileged youth, has died. He was 91.Langer, a leading scholar in his field, published more than 200 scientific articles and co-wrote several books explaining the mechanisms by which the heart ’s electrical activity regulates its contraction under normal and diseased conditions.“He was an inspirational mentor and teacher whose self-described mantra was ‘I get paid for my hobby,’” said Dr. James Weiss, chief of the division of cardiology, who arrived at UCLA in 1978 as a cardiology fellow. “Many of his trainees went on to become leaders in academic medicine and ca rdiovascular science.”Among them were Kenneth Shine, who served as UCLA ’s medical school dean from 1986 to 1992 and later became president of the National Academy of Medicine.Langer died June 19 in San Jose, California, Weiss said.Langer came to the medical school in 1960 to join the recently established American Heart Association Cardiovascular Research Laboratories. Prior to his retirement in 1997, he was a distinguished professor of medicine and physiology, the inaugural holder of the Castera Endowed Chair in Cardiology, director of the cardiovascular research laboratories, vice chair of the department of physiology and associate dean for research.After retiring, Langer committed himself to...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news