Kenneth H. Cowan, MD, PhD, a longtime AACR member who served for 24 years as director of what is now the Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center in Omaha, died December 15, 2024. He was 77 years old.
A native of New York City, Cowan received his undergraduate degree at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY, and his medical degree and a doctorate in pharmacology from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Cowan completed a residency in internal medicine at Parkland Memorial Hospital in 1978 and a fellowship in oncology at the National Cancer Institute in 1981. He stayed at NCI as a faculty member and investigator in the intramural program, becoming chief of the Medical Breast Cancer Section of the Medicine Branch.
He joined the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1999 as director of what was then the Eppley Cancer Center and the Eppley Institute for Cancer Research. It became the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center in 2017.
After stepping down as center director, he was a professor in the Oncology and Hematology Division of the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine. Cowan joined the AACR in 1983. He served on the National Cancer Advisory Board from 2002-2008 by appointment of President George W. Bush.
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I met Ken when interviewing for medical oncology fellowship at the NCI where he was one of the interviewing faculty. It was one of the most memorable and impactful meetings in my career. Throughout my training and later as faculty, Ken continued to be my mentor, role model and a friend. His compassion and unwavering dedication to patients’ care and cancer research was unparalleled. His kindness to everyone he met was just legendary. He always had a smile on his face and spoke with a gentle soft voice helping to believe that ‘all will be well’ no matter the circumstances. When Ken and his family moved to Nebraska we stayed in touch and when in Omaha for unrelated reason, I briefly met with Ken and toured what was then the Eppley Cancer Center. He was happy and proud of his work there. Only later I learned how truly transformational he was not only to the Cancer Center but to many people of Nebraska. I will forever be grateful for knowing Ken and the impact he left behind. RIP.
Throughout the past 30 years Ken has been an exceptional colleague. I met him in the mid 90s as a NCI branch chief who gave an Otolaryngology resident excellent academic medicine advice. Has frequently been at my trainees AACR posters with encouragement. Visited Buffet and had a treasured conversation with him in the Cancer Healing Garden. Remarkable enthusiasm. I will miss him.
Ken was one of my first attendings when I came to NCI, and has been a mentor and a friend ever since. He was a staunch supporter of our work at the Division of Cancer Prevention and always selflessly gave thoughtful guidance, no matter how busy he was. I learned how to be an oncologist and how to do clinical trials from Ken, and for this I will forever be grateful.
Ken was my mentor in Medicine Branch, National Cancer Institute. I was able to learn the skills and basic cancer science in his laboratory from scratch. He was so nice and allowed me to become clinical associate from the second year and even allowed me to work part time in CTEP from the third year. Because of his generosity and mentoring I was able to reach and learned from maximum numbers of clinical and basic researchers during that short 3 years between 1992-1995. His guidance during my fellowship and afterwards in my professional career certain had huge influence on my current vison and position as an oncologist in charge of a comprehensive cancer center.
So sorry to hear this news. Ken and I were interns/residents together at Parkland. I left the program a year sooner than he did to go to NCI as a Clinical Associate in the Medicine Branch in 1977. Ken followed a year later. I remember him fondly as a great colleague, smart, affable, one you could count on to give the best possible clinical care to very sick patients. We didn't have much contact after fellowship but it's clear Ken was a transformative leader at Nebraska!
Ken was a wonderful human being. I took over Ken's clinic patients at the Medicine Branch when he moved on to his research rotation in July of 1980. They were big shoes to fill at many levels as his patients were in awe of his kind, calm and attentive manner. Ken went on to great success in all of his professional role but he ever, down-to-earth, fun and approachable. Over the next few years, folk in Omaha will grow in appreciation of his many quiet contributions. Ken will be missed. Best wishes to Alison and the family.
I had the privilege to work with Ken, when he was at NIH and we were both interested in breast cancer. Ken was not only a wonderful clinician, he was a teacher and a great collaborator. I have missed him since left NIH, and it saddens me to hear that he passed. He will be missed.
Ken was a kind and thoughtful mentor since we first met at Einstein in 1996.
He was always available, and his advice was always sound.
He will be missed.
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet
and blossom in the dust.
Ken is always affable and very humble during his tenure, he will be forever in our heart ❤💕💖
Ken was a friend and colleague while we were clinical associates at the NCI - he in the Medicine Branch and me in the Surgical Branch. I remember him as always affable and helpful during those times when very sick patients who found their way to us at the Clinical Center, ready to provide advice. Much later after our careers had been established, he had a group of early Immuno-Oncology pioneers give talks at the Cancer Center he created. He will be missed.