RICK HERRICK

508-693-8065

(herricklr@verizon.net)

Do you remember Stephen Blacklow, the kid who managed the tennis club in 1981? Well, 10 years later that kid graduated from Harvard Medical School with a combined MD/Ph.D. Today he runs that program at Harvard with a deep commitment toward training physician/scientists.

Stephen currently resides in Cambridge with wife, Barbara, and their three children Serena, 12, Jeremiah, 11, and Airelle, 9. Stephen is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School where he teaches and does research. He is a well-known expert on the relationship between cholesterol and metabolism. His newest research venture focuses on cell division as it relates to cancer.

Stephen was recently joined on the Harvard faculty by his father, Bob. Bob Blacklow retired as president of the Northeast Ohio University College of Medicine in 2002. After a year’s sabbatical in Washington, D.C., where he worked on health policy, he rejoined the Harvard Medical School faculty in 2005. In the 60s and 70s, Bob was the associate dean there.

Bob teaches courses in medical ethics and the doctor/patient relationship. He is also doing follow-up research on programs he administered in the sixties pertaining to minority student enrichment.

Of the many hats that Bob wears, his most important one is his role as East Chop’s Dr. Welby. Most people around here begin a discussion of their health problems with, “Well, I talked to Bob Blacklow and . . .” Compassion and wide-ranging medical knowledge define this wonderful man. I am proud to be a summer neighbor of both Bob and his distinguished son.

One of Bob’s Harvard classmates who continues to do interesting things is Jim Prichard. Jim retired from Yale Medical School in 2002 where he was a professor of neurology, and one of the pioneers in the development of MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging). Jim is currently serving as a visiting professor at the Brain Research Institute at the University of Melbourne where he pursues research in magnetic resonance. But what really excites Jim is the work he is doing for the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. He does video interviews of the society’s most prominent members which include four Nobel Prize winners. The videos are then shown at society meetings. East Chop is honored to have these three doctors as members of our summer community.

The retired community is happy to welcome home Bob and Liz Huss, Terry Appenzellar, and John Caldwell from their recent trip to Portugal. They had a great time! We also eagerly await the return of Judy and Dave Cunniffe from Florida. The Cunniffes have traveled to Florida to assist Judy’s mother in her move to Windemere.

Finally, we all look forward to reconnecting with old friends over the Columbus Day weekend. With that said, I look forward to reconnecting with all of you next June.