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G. SCOTT GIEBINK, M.D.
G. Scott Giebink died of a heart attack on
Friday, August 29,while sailing at his lake cabin
in Wisconsin. He was 59. Dr. Giebink was Professor
of Pediatrics and Otolaryngology, Interim Head of
the Department of Pediatrics, Head of the Division
of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and Director of
the Otitis Media Research Center at the University
of Minnesota. He was past president of the
Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of
Pediatrics, and is a nationally recognized expert
in otitis media, the pneumococcus, and
immunizations.
Scott graduated from the University of Minnesota
Medical School, completed his residency at Denver
Children's Hospital, served in Alaska with the Air
Force Medical Corps, and returned to the University
of Minnesota for a fellowship in pediatric
infectious disease. His interest in otitis media
began when he observed the high rates of middle ear
disease among the Alaskan Native children he
examined.
Collaborative interdisciplinary research to
study the pathophysiology of otitis media in began
in 1975 at the University of Minnesota under the
direction of Dr. Michael Paparella. Scott became
the Director of the Otitis Media Research Center in
1985, which has been continually funded by NIH
since 1978. His major research interests were
otitis media pathogenesis, pneumococcal vaccine
development, and investigation of pneumococcal
disease pathogenesis. He was a pioneer in the use
of the chinchilla model to study otitis media
pathogenesis, a model that has been widely adopted
in otitis media research. His studies of the
pathogenesis of pneumococcal otitis media
characterized many cellular and biochemical
inflammatory responses in the middle ear. He was
directing a clinical trial of maternal pneumococcal
immunization to prevent early infant otitis media,
a study with great potential to provide new
strategies for prevention of disease in infancy. He
mentored countless individuals in clinical
medicine, clinical research and laboratory based
research, and their work continues around the
world.
Scott's laboratory was one of the first to
develop an enzyme immunoassay to measure class- and
type-specific antibodies against capsular
polysaccharides of S. pneumoniae. The assay has
been used to study antibody responses to
pneumococcal polysaccharide and
polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines in animal
models and in children at high risk of pneumococcal
disease.
Medicine and research were only part of his
life. Because he placed such a high value on
children's health, Scott was a fervent and
effective advocate for health insurance for all
children. He was instrumental in getting Minnesota
legislation passed to fund MinnesotaCare, a
subsidized health insurance program for children of
low and moderate income families. He was a great
lover of music, particularly jazz.
Scott is survived by wife, Susan Casey,
children, Peter, Brent, Kathryn, grandchildren,
Pablo Manu, Dag Hendrik, mother, Barbara "Scottie"
Giebink, and stepfather, Roger Wheelwright sister,
Nancy; brothers, Thomas, David, and John.
Scott will be missed by many friends and
colleagues around the world. Gifts in Scott's
memory may be sent to: the G. Scott Giebink, M.D.
Memorial Fund at the University Pediatric
Foundation c/o the Minnesota Medical Foundation, PO
Box 64001, St. Paul, MN 55164-0001.
Kathleen Daly
Steven Juhn
Michael Paparella
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