Henry KRUM (1958 - 2015)

Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (2003 - 2015)

Monash is saddened to hear of the passing of Professor Henry Krum.

Professor Krum was a valued friend, colleague, physician and supervisor at the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, and one of the finest cardiovascular researchers and specialists in heart failure management in the world.

He accomplished outstanding achievements in the field of cardiovascular disease and has served as a role model through service, research and teaching.

He joined Monash University in 1996 and was appointed Head of the Clinical Pharmacology Unit in the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine and Head of the Clinical Pharmacology Department at the Alfred Hospital. In 1997 he was promoted to Associate Professor and became a full Professor in 2003.

Professor Krum was also a dedicated supervisor of Honours and PhD students, and undertook the supervision of 24 PhD and 12 Honours students during his time at the University. He currently ranks first for the most citations and third for the highest number of publications from all Monash University researchers, in the 2010-2014 period. Over his career he published over 500 journal articles, 4 books and 22 book chapters.

He was a member of the Executive Committee that established the value of beta-blockers in severe heart failure.  He was first author of a paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association that described for the first time, the finding that beta-blockers may produce an early beneficial effect on clinical outcomes rather than the previous paradigm that patients need to wait many months before observing any clear benefit from these therapies.

Professor Krum was the recipient of countless awards and accolades as he became an eminent presence within his field, all the while highly respected by his peers, colleagues and students.

Professor Krum is survived by his wife Lauren, children Joshua and Emily, his sister Sharon and extended family.  He was described as a “news junkie” and always had to have the very latest technological gadgets.  He was fond of good coffee and acquired a large collection of vinyl jazz records.

Read the full tribute to Professor Henry Krum on the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine blog.

Published in Monash Memo, 9 December 2015.