Lasting Memories

James L Krahenbuhl
Oct. 7, 1942-July 29, 2017
Palo Alto, California

James L. Krahenbuhl, Director (retired) of the National Hansen's Disease (Leprosy) Programs (NHDP) in Baton Rouge, LA died in Palo Alto, CA on July 29th, 2017 of complications from non-Hodgkins Disease lymphoma. He was 74.

He was born October 7th, 1942 in Appleton, WI. He received his B.S. degree in Zoology; M.S. and Ph.D. in Medical Microbiology from the Univ of Wisconsin. He did his postdoctoral fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Stanford Univ Medical Center in Palo Alto in the laboratory of Jack S. Remington M.D. His cancer research led to a lifelong interest in leprosy research.

Working for the United States Public Health Service (USPHS) he transferred to the famous National Leprosarium in Carville, LA as Chief of the Immunology Research Dept. The lab relocated in 1992 from Carville to the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine in Baton Rouge. He was an adjunct Professor of Physiology at Tulane Univ in New Orleans and adjunct Professor of Microbiology at the LSU Graduate School. He became Chief of the Laboratory Research Branch in 1994 and became Director of the NHDP in 2005.

He received several significant awards during his career. In 1974 he was awarded an NIH Career Development Award and in 1990 he was awarded the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services Distinguished Service Award for his leprosy research. He retired in 2013 and returned to Palo Alto, CA.

Jim was known for his quick wit and long drawn out jokes. His interests included reading, classical music, drawing mice, volleyball, hiking and camping.

He is survived by and sorely missed by Betty, his loving wife. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2015. He is also survived by their only child, Jeff, his wife Rebecca and their daughter, Amber.