H. Jean Khoury, MD
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University (Winship) is mourning the loss of an esteemed colleague: H. Jean Khoury, MD, died on May 22 at the age of 50, after a year spent battling cancer. His many colleagues and friends remember him as an outstanding physician, researcher, and educator and a respected and beloved member of the Winship and Emory communities.
“We are all deeply grieving the loss of this remarkable man who gave so much to Winship. His enthusiasm and love for his patients and his commitment to lessening the burden of cancer for all have been unwavering throughout his life,” said Walter J. Curran, Jr, MD, Winship’s Executive Director.
“While we all knew Jean as an outstanding clinician who was beloved by his patients, and a true innovator in treatment, what he kept more quiet was his impact on colleagues and trainees as a mentor,” said Sagar -Lonial, MD, Chair of Emory’s Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology and Winship’s Chief Medical Officer.
Not Afraid to Take Risks
An international leader in hematologic malignancies, particularly chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), acute leukemia, and myelodysplastic syndrome. Dr. Khoury pioneered the development of personalized treatment for CML patients and better approaches to improve quality of life for survivors.
Dr. Khoury joined Winship Cancer Institute in 2004 as Director of the Leukemia Service and Associate Professor at Emory School of Medicine. In 2009, he was promoted to Professor and Director of the Division of Hematology in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology and was later named to the R. Randall Rollins Chair in Oncology.
He was recruited to Winship by Fadlo R. Khuri, MD, former Deputy Director of Winship and now President of the American University of Beirut. “What you always want in a leader is someone who’s not afraid to be wrong, to take risks.… Jean was very brave. He didn’t like business as usual, and that showed in the way he went about redeveloping the Hematology Division, the Leukemia Program, and his interactions with the Transplant Division, with faculty and all across Winship,” said Dr. Khuri.
“Jean was a transformative figure for our Hematology Division, taking the team to a new level in conducting cutting-edge research while providing compassionate patient care,” said Amelia A. Langston, MD, Medical Director and Section Chief of the Winship Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Program.
Winship colleagues also recall Dr. Khoury’s devotion to his family. He died at home with his family by his side. He is survived by his wife, Angela, and three children, Mikhail, Iman, and Alya. ■
