In Memoriam: National Specialist in Pulmonary Vascular Disease C. Norman Gillis
C. Norman Gillis, professor emeritus of anesthesiology and pharmacology at Yale University School of Medicine, died on August 16 at age 68 in Boston.
Recognized nationally as a specialist in pulmonary vascular disease and pharmacology, Gillis published more than 250 scientific articles during his career. He chaired major international symposia focusing on medical issues and served on a number of advisory committees, including the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the World Health Organization’s Expert Committee on Primary Pulmonary Hypertension.
Gillis was recently appointed to serve on a committee of the National Academies Institute of Medicine and was an adjunct professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. He was an associate editor of the journal Biochemical Pharmacology and served on the editorial boards of several other journals in his field. Throughout his career, he spoke at meetings and conferences in the United States and other parts of the world.
A native of Scotland, Gillis was educated there and taught in that country before coming to Yale as an assistant professor in 1961. He became a full professor in 1973. At Yale, he served as director of research in the anesthesiology department from 1979-93.
Funeral services were held in New Haven on August 19, followed by interment at Young Israel Memorial Park in East Haven. Remembrances in Gillis’ name may be made to The Nature Conservancy (Memorial Fund # 1601555), 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203.
Gillis is survived by his wife, Bonita; son, Steven; daughter, Sharon and son-in-law, Thomas J. Phillips; and grandchildren, Alexandra and Andrew Phillips.
Media Contact
Karen N. Peart: karen.peart@yale.edu, 203-980-2222