The Jacobs Institute would like to take a moment to honor the legacy and impact of Dr. Bert Lubin, who passed away in June of this year. Bert was a member of our board, and a vital part of the UC Berkeley College of Engineering, serving as a mentor for students working on medical technologies for children. Bert dedicated his life to advancing medical treatments to both children and those with less access to care, even assisting on a project that repurposed medical devices into ventilators during the current COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to his dedication to community health, Bert was an avid jazz-lover and musician, whose philanthropic work extended to organizations and health clinics focused on immigrant communities, as well as jazz and art institutions.
After accepting a position at Oakland Children’s Hospital in 1973, Bert dedicated his practice to advancing the research and treatment of sickle cell disease, furthering the hospital’s community mission and becoming a pioneer in the study of this disease. He founded the Children’s Hospital Research Institute, later becoming the CEO of the hospital during a national economic recession that made independent hospital financing even more challenging. Before retiring in 2018, he initiated a merger between Children’s Hospital and UCSF (now UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital) to ensure the Children’s Hospital’s mission would be upheld.
We are grateful for the impact Bert has had on the Jacobs Institute and the entirety of the College of Engineering. We hope that our own mission at the Institute can honor his legacy by continuing to push the possibilities of what’s achievable within design innovation and medical advancement.
Read more: UCSF Health Remembers Bertram Lubin