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Authority record
Person Ann Arbor, Michigan

Neel, James V. (James Van Gundia)

  • http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n85279417
  • Person
  • 1915-2000

James V. Neel, born March 22, 1915 in Hamilton, Ohio, was one of world's premier geneticists. He has contributed to the field of human genetics as a scientist, physician, professor, consultant and administrator. He received his Ph.D. as well as M.D. from the University of Rochester in New York. He completed his residency at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York. Dr. Neel has been affiliated with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor for nearly fifty years. Beginning in 1985, he served as the Lee R. Dice Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of Human Genetics and Professor Emeritus of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. He served on the committees of a number of national and international institutes, governmental agencies and organizations. He died on February 1 2000 in Ann Arbor.

Renfert, Henry

  • Person
  • 1920-2003

Dr. Henry Renfert, Jr. was born May 5, 1920 in Fort Worth, Texas, to German immigrant Heinrich Renfert and his wife, Wisconsin native Wanda Stresau. He had an older brother and sister, Frederic and Wandy, and a twin sister, Melita. His childhood was spent mostly in Galveston but his parents sent him to Wisconsin to attend high school at the Milwaukee Country Day School (1934-1937). He graduated from Cornell University in 1941. He earned his M.D. from Cornell University Medical College in 1944 and interned at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

He served as medical officer in 1944-1945 aboard the U.S.S Hydrus and U.S.S. Independence; during this time, the Independence was assigned to atomic bomb experiments on Bikini Atoll. He completed his residency training in internal medicine at the University of Michigan before returning to the Navy to serve as Senior Medical Officer at the U.S. Navy Infirmary in Sasabo, Japan. He was awarded both a Naval commendation medal for the success of his program to control communicable diseases at the Sasabo base, and a Navy Reserve medal for ten years of service to the Navy.

Upon returning the United States, he spent a year as an assistant professor at Ann Arbor and then returned to his home state to go into private practice in Austin. He was joined by Dr. Virgil Lawless in 1956 and went on to found the Austin Diagnostic Clinic; their dream was to build a smaller form of the Mayo Clinic in Central Texas. In 1958, Dr. Renfert returned to Cornell as Associate Dean and Assistant Professor of Medicine, staying two years before returning to Austin to rejoin the Austin Diagnostic Clinic. The Austin Diagnostic Clinic was the first clinic in Austin to provide in-house radiology and laboratory testing, as well as the first to supply its own specialists in many different fields. It eventually grew into the Austin Diagnostic Medical Center, with a hospital and over 130 doctors. Today, it is called the Austin Medical Center and has several branches.

Dr. Renfert died in Austin on January 5, 2003. He was cremated and his ashes scattered in Hitchcock, north of Galveston.

Dr. Renfert was also an avid collector of railroad china and donated his collection, thought to be the largest in the United States, to the Gulf Coast Railroad Museum in Galveston in 1991.

Ivan F. Duff, MD

  • Person
  • 1915-1994

Dr. Ivan Frances Duff was born July 20, 1915 in Pendleton, Oregon. He died in October 1994. He graduated from the University of Oregon and the University of Michigan Medical School, where he completed his internship and residency training in internal medicine. In 1946 he joined the faculty of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan, as an instructor, becoming a Professor in 1960. Dr. Duff founded the Turner Geriatric Clinic at the University of Michigan Medical Center. His major interest was in the field of rheumatic diseases.

Dr. Duff was a member of U.S. Naval Reserve and served on active duty as a commander in the Submarine Medical Service in the Pacific theater from 1942 to 1946. After the war, he returned to the University of Michigan where he joined the faculty of the Department of Internal Medicine.

Dr. Duff's interest in epidemiology led to studies with the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) beginning in 1964. He was a researcher with the ABCC from 1967-1975 and then with the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) from 1975-1986. He studied the incidence and prevelance of rheumatoid arthritis and gout in Hiroshima and Nagasaki patients.

In 1980, Dr. Duff was a member of an American Physician Exchange Group of twelve doctors visiting the People's Republic of China at the invitation of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. This initial visit led to a long relationship between Dr. Duff and the Chinese medical community. From 1981 to 1991, Dr. Duff was a research consultant at Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Beijing, People's Republic of China, where he collaborated in epidemiologic studies of rheumatic diseases.

Dr. Duff was a leader in the field of rheumatology. He was the recipient of many awards and honors and served on many national panels.

Dr. Duff died at his home in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Oct. 27, 1994 at the age of 79.