For more than 30 years, Steve Rennard, M.D., has been one of the top researchers at UNMC.
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TIME OUT |
WITH T.O. by Tom O’Connor |
In 2007, he was named UNMC’s inaugural Scientist Laureate, the highest honor given to a UNMC scientist. In 2009, he received the Outstanding Research and Creativity Award, the highest award for original scholarship given by the University of Nebraska system.
A pulmonologist, Dr. Rennard has focused his research primarily on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and is recognized as one of the top COPD experts in the world.
As he turns 66 this month and heads into the home stretch of his career, Dr. Rennard has decided it’s time for a change.
He and his wife, Barbara, have moved to Cambridge, England, as Dr. Rennard has been named chief clinical scientist for respiratory, immunology and allergic diseases for AstraZeneca, one of the world’s largest biopharmaceutical companies.
Souperman
As distinguished as Dr. Rennard’s research career has been, it’s ironic that he will perhaps be best remembered for his 2000 study on how chicken soup is an effective cold remedy. The research has been featured in thousands of media stories around the world.
“It’s an adventure,” Dr. Rennard said. “When you get to 65, you say, ‘What’s next?’ It’s really an exciting job that has potential to have a big impact on patient care long term, and Cambridge is an idyllic sort of town.”
With eight children and 13 grandchildren (No. 14 is due in December), the Rennards have a large family. They’ll continue to maintain a home in Omaha.
Dr. Rennard will keep his UNMC position as the Larson Professor of Medicine, but his campus sightings will be limited. He plans to return to Omaha every six weeks.
“Dr. Rennard’s impact on UNMC has been far and wide,” said Jennifer Larsen, M.D., vice chancellor for research. “He had a huge impact on developing translational research here, and he’s been an outstanding mentor to faculty and trainees.
“When I met him many years ago, my first impression was that he was one of the most intelligent people I had ever met, and that conclusion remains just as true today. I am glad he plans to maintain a link to UNMC and look forward to exploring how we might collaborate on projects going forward.”
During his 31 years at UNMC, Dr. Rennard traveled extensively around the world. He said the move to England will go unnoticed by most people.
“My office assistant (Lillian Richards) said, ‘Nothing’s changed. You’ll be around as much as you always were.'”
Dr. Rennard is a true scholar and scientist. His intellectual contributions to our division and the community at large have been invaluable. I am sorry to see him move to Cambridge, but remain pleased we will still be seeing him on a regular basis.
Dr. Rennard has been an incredible mentor for me–he took a chance on me as a research fellow and I am grateful for everything he has done to open a career in academic medicine to me. He is truly a world authority in airways disease and we look forward to ongoing insights from him. We will miss him in conferences and at TB clinic where he volunteered his time.