Walter F. Loeb, VMD, MS, PhD, Chairman of AACC’s Division of Animal Clinical Chemistry in 1997, passed away on December 24, 2020, at the age of 88.
At a young age, Dr. Loeb grew a fascination with animals that he pursued into a lifelong career. After graduating with a VMD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1955, he went on to earn an MS at The Ohio State University in 1956, and a PhD at Michigan State University in 1965. Through education, experience, and passion, he took on roles such as associate professor in the Department of Pathology at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine where he also served as director of the Clinical Pathology Laboratory.
In 1970, Dr. Loeb began his profession at Litton Bionetics in Kensington, Maryland, where he oversaw the clinical laboratory, worked closely in anatomic pathology, and supported efforts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and toxicology studies in support of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) applications. In 1988, Dr. Loeb innovated and co-founded the Ani Lytics reference laboratory in Gaithersburg, Maryland, developing and providing clinical pathology and toxicology tests for research in the government and the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Throughout his career, he authored and co-authored nearly 50 journal publications, 16 book chapters, and co-edited the first and second editions of The Clinical Chemistry of Laboratory Animals.
Dr. Loeb also dedicated time as a member and leader of numerous committees. For over 65 years, he served as member of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Along with his role as chairman of AACC’s Division of Animal Clinical Chemistry, he was also elected as councilor for the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP) and president of the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ASVCP). His hard work was recognized through awards such as the AACC Award for Outstanding Contributions to Animal Clinical Chemistry, the Barbara Jean Thompson Award for Outstanding Service to the Charles Louis Davis Foundation for the Advancement of Veterinary and Comparative Pathology, and the ACVP Distinguished Member award.
AACC honors Dr. Loeb for his commitment to bettering the field of laboratory animal research.