January 19, 2016

The School of Medicine is saddened to announce that James "Jim" Metcalfe, M.D., former faculty member and cardiovascular research leader, died earlier this month.

Dr. Metcalfe joined OHSU in 1961 and was the original director of the Heart Research Laboratory at OHSU. His career took an active interest in collaboration at the bench and bedside, across disciplines and departments. By the time Dr. Metcalfe retired as director, the lab was credited with more than 175 reviewed publications, 51 predoctoral fellows, 16 postdoctoral fellows, and seven sabbatical fellows.

Following Dr. Metcalfe's retirement, the Heart Research Laboratory morphed into the Heart Research Center under the leadership of Kent Thornburg, Ph.D., professor of medicine, OHSU School of Medicine. In 2013, it got folded into the OHSU Knight Cardiovascular Institute, as the Center for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease.

In 2010, the Department of Medicine's Division of Cardiovascular Medicine established a named lectureship in his honor. In 2014, the lectureship was converted to a chair and the first recipient was Nabil Alkayed, M.D., Ph.D., professor of anesthesiology and perioperative medicine, OHSU School of Medicine.

Learn more about Dr. Metcalfe's contributions –and the history of cardiovascular medicine at OHSU –on the Knight Cardiovascular Institute website.

According to Dr. Metcalfe's obituary, a Quaker celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 12, 2016, at the Unity Church of Portland, 4525 S.E. Stark St., Portland.