It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share that Greg Bossart lost his courageous battle with pancreatic cancer on November 19, 2019. Greg was a world-renowned and respected veterinarian, pathologist and conservationist whose passions included marine conservation, ocean science, and the role of aquatic species as sentinels for the effects of climate change, ecosystem and human health. Most recently, Greg was the Senior Vice President and Chief Veterinary Officer at the Georgia Aquarium. He also led the Health and Environmental Risk Assessment (HERA) research projects on bottlenose dolphins. His commitment to veterinary medicine spans over three decades during which time he helped characterize the first viral disease in manatees, developed the first immunohistochemical technique for diagnosing brevetoxicosis in marine mammals and birds, and documented resurging and emerging diseases in manatees, cetacean, and birds.
Greg Bossart
He received his VMD from the University of Pennsylvania and was a comparative pathology resident and National Institute of Health fellow in the Department of Pathology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He received his Ph.D. in immunology at Florida International University and was an Honorary Member of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and Diplomate of the European College of Zoological Medicine (Wildlife Population Health). He was a professor or faculty member as multiple medical and veterinary schools and published nearly 200 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters focusing primarily on the pathologic basis of disease in wild animals. His awards are too numerous to even begin to list; however, just this year, he was awarded Life Member status and received The William Medway Award for Excellence in Teaching from IAAAM.
He touched the lives of every member of IAAAM whether we knew him personally or knew of him; whether we learned directly from him or from one of his students; or whether we worked with him or utilized his knowledge via publications or presentations. We will benefit from his compassion for animals and people and his achievements in the field of aquatic animal health, pathology and conservation forever. Our thoughts are with his family and friends and with the staff of Georgia Aquarium.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation be made to one of three causes that are close to their hearts:
Georgia Aquarium Research and Conservation Program www.georgiaaquarium.org/donations
Christian Veterinary Mission www.cvm.org
Medical Missions Ministries – Guatemala www.mmm-guatemala.com