Radiobiologist, department head, emeritus professor Kallman dies at 81

By JOYCE THOMAS

Robert F. Kallman, PhD, emeritus professor of radiation oncology at the medical school, died Aug. 8 at Stanford Hospital. He was 81.

In 1956, when the medical school was still located in San Francisco, Kallman joined Stanford’s Department of Radiology, recruited as a research associate by renowned professor and chair Henry S. Kaplan, MD.

When the medical school was relocated to Palo Alto in 1959, Kallman became head of the department’s new division of radiobiology research, which he developed and led until 1984.

During that time, the division achieved national and international distinction in the advancement of cancer research.

Kallman’s research interests focused on tumor cell radiobiology and laboratory models for the radiation therapy of tumors. He identified and characterized, with colleague Luke M. Van Putten, PhD, of the Netherlands, the phenomenon of reoxygenation in irradiated tumors

In 1978 Kallman founded and for six years directed the interdisciplinary Stanford Cancer Biology Program, funded by a National Cancer Institute grant, which is now in its 25th year.

"There’s no question that one of Bob’s enduring legacies to science at Stanford was his formation of the Cancer Biology Program," said J. Martin Brown, PhD, professor and director of the division of radiation and cancer biology.

"Getting it started was no easy matter," said Brown. "Yet today, it is a thriving program with some 50 or so graduate students and a half-dozen postdocs. The value of this to faculty scientists in the clinical departments is huge. Without Bob’s efforts none of this would have happened, and the university — particularly the medical school — would be very much the poorer."

Kallman stepped down from his major administrative roles in 1984, devoted more time to his research and retired in 1992.

He was born May 21, 1922, in Brooklyn and educated at Hofstra College. He served in the Army as a medic in Europe during World War II and the occupation. Afterward he resumed his education in 1946 and received his PhD in physiology from NYU in 1952.

He is survived by his wife, Ingrid; three children, Tim Kallman of Cabin John, Md., Robin Kallman of San Francisco, and Lars Kallman of Stanford; two grandchildren; a sister and a brother and numerous nieces and nephews. His first wife, Frances "Pat" Green, died in 1966.

A service will be held at Stanford Memorial Church Sept. 24 at 4 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kallman Lectureship, c/o Richard T. Hoppe, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, Room A-077, Stanford Medical School, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, CA 94305.