TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Floyd J. Malveaux, M.D., Ph.D 1940–2020 Physician, Scientist, Educator Retired Howard University Medical School Dean
By Aaron Williams
D r. Kunle Kassim, Department Chair of Microbiology at Howard University remem- bered Dr. Floyd J. Malveaux as “a compassionate physician, a great educator and an accomplished research scientist with expertise in Allergy/Im- munology. We mourn his passing and pray for strength and God’s grace for all members of his family.” Renown aller- gist, immunologist, physician and medi- cal school dean Dr. Floyd J. Malveaux (Alpha Eta 1959) entered the Chapter Invisible on January 9, 2020 two days prior to his 80 th birthday. Floyd Joseph Malveaux was born on January 11, 1940 in Opelousas, LA to Inez Lemelle and Delton Malveaux. A bright child with an interest math and science, he placed first in a statewide math competition for minority high school students. Malveaux earned in B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biological Sciences from Creighton University in 1961 and Loyola (LA) University in 1964. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Microbiology and Public Health from Michigan State University in 1968. Malveaux received his M.D. degree from Howard University College of Medicine in 1974 where he became interested in immunology, specifically allergic reactions and asthma. Malveaux continued specialization in these areas during his postgraduate studies at Washington Hospital Center and Johns Hopkins University. The Summer 2016 issue of The Kappa Alpha Psi ® Journal featured an ex- tensive interview with Dr. Malveaux where he addressed topics including his life, educational and professional background, and achievements. In the
article he stated his history with the fraternity, “The Alpha Eta Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi had a strong pres- ence on the campuses of Creighton and Omaha Universities. On March 26, 1959, I became a Kappa, along with my roommate Charles Guidry III (also from Opelousas) and close friend Webster Young, Jr., was an important anchor for me and I am grateful for the many relationships that I have enjoyed through the fraternity over the years.” Malveaux worked as Associate Profes- sor of Microbiology for Howard Uni- versity College of Medicine (HUCM), coordinator of the Science Program from District of Columbia Public Schools and coordinator of microbiol- ogy for Howard University College of Dentistry. In 1978, he rejoined the faculty of HUCM serving as an associ- ate professor of medicine. At HUCM, Malveaux created a training program for allergists/immunologists based on his work in allergies and immunology. In 1986, he joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins University and also founded the Urban Asthma and Allergy Center in Baltimore, MD. In 1989, he returned to HUCM as Chair of the Microbiology Department. His work led to the Community Outreach for Asthma Care, a new treatment pro- gram at HUCM. In the 2016 Journal article, Malveaux described his origins with public health and asthma, “As a child, I suffered from asthma and spent amount of time out of school. My family had to travel 50 miles from Opelousas to Baton Rouge in order for me to access care by an al- lergist. I began to receive allergy shots frequently and over time my health im-
proved.... In the early 1980s, I was stuck by the alarming rise immortality from asthma. More astonishing, young Black men had a death rate that was seven-fold that of white men and I wanted to know why and how to improve the situation. When I graduated in biological sciences in May of 1961, I did not know that this would be my calling and my route to medicine as a physician scientist was an interesting journey.” Malveaux's research on the causes of childhood asthma highlighted the lack of access to health care, as well as various environmental factors such as tobacco smoke and allergens in older buildings and in tightly-sealed newer buildings with poor ventilation. In 1997 he co-authored a study that implicated exposure to cock- roaches in the etiology of asthma. His research demonstrated that inner-city children with asthma often were inap- propriately or under-medicated and were more likely to self-medicate without supervision. He and his colleagues found that disease-management counseling for children and their families resulted in fewer asthma attacks and hospitalizations. Malveaux's research led to the establish- ment of HUCM's free treatment program, Community Outreach for Asthma Care. In 1995, Malveaux left his clinical practice when he was named the dean of HUCM. “As Dean, Malveaux oversaw construction of Howard's new Health Sciences Library, major improvements at the Howard University Hospital, and sig-
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