The American University of Beirut has dedicated the Ismail M. Khalil Vascular Laboratory at the AUB Medical Center (AUBMC), in recognition of Dr. Ismail Khalil’s contributions to vascular surgery at AUB and the discipline of vascular surgery in the Middle East.

Dr. Ismail Khalil, professor of surgery, chief of the division of vascular surgery at AUBMC and the current director of the Vascular Laboratory, is credited with having built the laboratory from the ground up.

An alumnus (BS ’68, MD ‘72), Dr. Khalil has been a faculty member for many years, serving as chairman of the Department of Surgery from 1992 to 1994.

“He is a role model to us all as a physician, friend, and dedicated alumnus,” said Dr. Mohamed Sayegh, vice president of medical affairs and the Raja N. Khuri Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, at the dedication of the Ismail M. Khalil Vascular Laboratory at AUBMC on June 28, 2012.

AUB President Peter Dorman agreed, describing Dr. Khalil as a “paragon of the devoted physician who serves the public through high-quality direct care and also serves the public good through bringing the best practices of the medical world to the people of this region.”

Throughout his long association with AUB, Dr. Khalil was described as a devoted teacher, a dedicated mentor, a skilled administrator, and a loyal colleague, added Dorman.

Dr. Jamal Hoballah, chairman of the surgery department, praised Dr. Khalil in particular for his “highly ethical approach to medicine” and his endless quest for perfection.

Thanking his alma mater for placing a “crown on my head,” Dr. Khalil said he considers the dedication as a “distinguished honor for my family, my children, and me.”

Dr. Fady Haddad, a vascular surgeon and one of Khalil’s former students, has been selected to be the first director of the Ismail M. Khalil Vascular Laboratory.  He pledged that he would continue Dr. Khalil’s “legacy of excellence in the lab” and ensure that it remains at the forefront of technology.