Nearly 50 years after arriving in Columbus, an Ohio State blood cancer expert is retiring — but he isn’t planning to slow down any time soon. The path to a legendary hematology career was forged early for Eric Kraut, MD. “My mother was a nurse and my uncle was a doctor,” he says. “I have an identical twin who’s a professor of medicine at UCLA, and the legend was that, when we were born, my mother said ‘These are my two little doctors.’” After graduating from Franklin & Marshall college, Kraut eventually moved on to medical school in Pittsburgh, where close ties with The Ohio State University led him to Columbus — and to the specialty that would define his career. “There was a tremendous relationship between Pittsburgh and Ohio State,” Kraut says. “I loved looking at blood slides and taking care of patients, and coming to Ohio State, which was famous for hematology, it made it pretty simple.” Click here to learn more about leukemia, including risks, symptoms and treatment options at The Ohio State University. Kraut’s Ohio State fellowship coincided with the departure of a faculty member, leading to an offer for the young doctor to join the team. “I’ve been here ever since,” he says. It didn’t take long for Kraut to make his mark, joining Dr. Bertha Bouroncle — who would become one of Kraut’s mentors — Dr. Michael Grever and other colleagues to develop deoxycoformycin, a novel therapy that revolutionized the treatment of hairy cell leukemia. “I had a patient who wasn't doing well, so we said, ‘Let's try this drug,’” Kraut says. “It was like a magic bullet — the disease went into remission, which hardly ever happened at that time.” Launched in the early 1980s, deoxycoformycin remains in use with hairy cell leukemia patients, building a legacy and point of pride for Kraut and his colleagues. “Patients who, in the past, would’ve lived three to five years are living normal lives,” Kraut says. “Probably 70 to 80 percent of patients initially treated with the drug go into remission. That’s fantastic.” Along with his work with leukemia patients, Kraut has helped Ohio State’s team break new ground in the genetics-based treatment of sickle cell disease, a condition that affects people from birth, and can lead to injuries, infections and other serious health issues. “There’s a gene defect in sickle cell disease that, by changing the gene makeup of the patient, can prevent complications from arising,” he says. “I see gene therapy continuing to grow and sickle cell disease patients continuing to do well.” Click here to learn more about sickle cell disease treatment and research at the OSUCCC – James. Kraut sees other advancements on the horizon as well, including breakthroughs in non-chemotherapy treatment options, and the increased use of artificial intelligence — which, even in retirement, he plans to explore in more detail. “Artificial intelligence is driving the search for new therapies, and I think in 10 years, doctors’ roles will be very different, changing how things are approached,” he says. “I'm interested in developing AI in medicine. I've been taking courses, and that's one of the things I focus on.” Kraut, who writes for multiple online resources, also plans to continue to focus on the sharing of important — and accurate — health info via the internet. “It’s important that patients and individuals know which information they can trust. I plan to continue to work to prevent misinformation online, so patients know what to do and where to go.” During Kraut’s career, he’s also worked to build and improve supportive care at the OSUCCC – James, including music and psychosocial therapies — along with efforts to reduce health care disparities. “All patients should have the ability to get therapy, no matter the cost,” he says. “In 1981, hairy cell leukemia wasn't treated very effectively, and we were one of the few places where you could come for this therapy. But, they needed to know about it, and they needed to be able to get to Ohio State. So, increasing access to, and information about, these therapies is always going to be important.” As he begins his next chapter, Kraut is taking time to thank those who have helped him along his amazing journey at The Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. “One of my favorite phrases is, ‘You're only as good as the people around you,’ and Ohio State has drawn some of the brightest people in cancer treatment,” he says. “Dr. Earl Metz, Dr. Stanley Balcerzak, Dr. Michael Grever, Dr. Bertha Bouroncle — these were inspirational people who have helped me get to where I am at this point. I've really been lucky, being involved with those colleagues.” Whether remembering the past or looking ahead to the future, Kraut is proud to call himself a Buckeye for life. “I want to extend my appreciation and thanks to The Ohio State University. It's been a great almost 50 years,” he says. “Ohio State continues to focus on helping people and making a difference in the world. It's all about the patients — helping them get through difficult times and helping them live as well as they can.”