To our School of Medicine community,
Last week I shared Ron Przbylski, PhD, emeritus associate professor in the Case Western Reserve University Department of Anatomy, died Saturday, April 19, at 89 years old. Today, I share insights from his CWRU colleagues.
Ron dedicated 58 years to teaching anatomy to generations of medical, dental and graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Teaching a wide variety of anatomy and cell biology courses, he used his talent as an artist and sense of humor to make anatomy memorable, helping students learn through creative drawings and acronyms. He served as a Case Inquiry (IQ) faculty facilitator from 2007 to 2015.
“Ron was a well-respected and dedicated educator who was genuinely concerned about and advocated for the well-being of our medical students and the quality of our educational program,” said Scott Simpson, professor in the Department of Anatomy.
His research interests over the years included adenosine triphosphate (ATP) secretion and extracellular metabolism, cell and developmental biology of skeletal and cardiac muscle, regulation of myoblast fusion, insulin signaling action at the cellular level, the molecular basis of insulin resistance, molecular rescue mechanisms after ischemic cell injury in the brain and heart. In his early years at Case Western Reserve, he spent many summers doing research at the Marine Biological Laboratories in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Ron published many research papers, spoke at scientific conferences around the world and served as associate editor for the Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry.
"I knew Ron for many years, collaborating on vascular biology research projects and working with him teaching histology to medical and graduate students,” said Nick Ziats, professor of pathology, biomedical engineering and anatomy. “He gave excellent lectures on muscle histology and physiology in the WR1 curriculum. Ron was an outstanding mentor, educator and dedicated teacher, who was well-liked by students, as he was very passionate about their education and he communicated with them on a very personal basis."
From the time Ron started at the School of Medicine in 1973, he supported and advised faculty in the Department of Anatomy, from helping them learn the lay of the land when they were new, to mentoring them as they navigated the tenure and promotions process. He always expressed interest in colleagues' research and enjoyed discussing it. Throughout the many changes over the years, he was always a strong proponent of the department and the School of Medicine.
After completing his PhD at University of Chicago, Ron spent two years with the U.S. Army Reserve's Medical Service Corps Officer Training Program (receiving an appointment as first lieutenant), and at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, where he was on the research staff.
Ron’s dedication to education and our community will long be remembered. Read more about Dr. Przbylski in his obituary.
Our deepest sympathies are with Ron’s family during this difficult time. Students who would like support are encouraged to contact University Health and Counseling Services at 216.368.5872. This line is staffed by a counselor 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Faculty and staff can access counseling at any time by calling AllOne Health (formerly IMPACT Solutions) at 1.800.227.6007.
Sincerely,
Stan Gerson, MD
Dean, CWRU School of Medicine
Director, National Center for Regenerative Medicine