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Friday, March 29, 2024
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UB community mourns loss of professor and friend Dr. Robert Genco

<p>Dr. Robert Genco was a world-renowned professor, pioneer of periodontics and UB alum. He died in Foster Hall on Wednesday, March 6.&nbsp;</p>

Dr. Robert Genco was a world-renowned professor, pioneer of periodontics and UB alum. He died in Foster Hall on Wednesday, March 6. 

Dr. Robert Genco was more than a professor.

He was a father.

He was a friend.

And his peers said he was an “integral” part of UB for 51 years. 

Genco was the vice provost of UB’s Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach, a professor of microbiology and periodontics, and a distinguished professor of oral biology and UB alum. He published roughly 400 scientific papers and helped find correlations between heart disease, strokes and gum disease. 

Genco, 80, died on Wednesday March 6 after suffering a cardiac arrest during a meeting in Foster Hall.

Julie Genco Alford, Genco’s daughter, said he “always incorporated people that he loved” into his life. She said he prioritized spending time individually with his 10 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren, and created a tradition of traveling around the world with each of them.

Alford said when Genco’s grandchildren turned 11 years old, he would take them on a “special trip” somewhere around the world.

“Some of them went to Japan, some of them went to Scandinavia, some of them went to Paris, some of them went to Spain,” Alford said. “The kids just couldn't wait until they turned that age where they got to go on this special trip with Poppie.”

Deborah Genco Powell, Genco’s daughter, said her parents started the tradition to get to know their grandchildren better.

She said her father was “very caring and empathetic.” Powell spoke with her father the Sunday before he died and she said he “spent the whole time” asking about her children and grandchildren. 

“He was always a very positive person, he was always very helpful,” Powell said. “It was just so refreshing to be around him, to be around that optimism.”

Frank Scannapieco, chair of oral biology, wrote in an email that Genco was “arguably one of the most illustrious alumnus of the UB School of Dental Medicine.”

“It is impossible to overstate Bob’s contributions to Oral Biology, UB and the world of periodontology,” Scannapieco said. “He truly enjoyed pursuing his scientific interests, and was not afraid to jump into new areas of inquiry with both feet. He motivated many colleagues by asking questions and pushing the field forward. He will be missed.”

UB President Satish Tripathi said, in a statement, Genco “was exceptionally committed to [the] university” throughout his time at UB. 

“Dr. Genco was always an invaluable source of support, perspective and leadership to me personally, and to our entire university community,” Tripathi said. “I know I speak on behalf of our entire UB family when I say that he will be sorely missed.”

Genco worked closely with some of his colleagues on research projects and was in the middle of research at the time of his death.

Vanessa Barnabei, chair of obstetrics and gynecology, said they were in the middle of a collaborative research proposal when Genco died.

Barnabei described Genco as “humble” and said he was “always welcoming and positive.”

“I never saw Bob without a smile on his face. I mean, he could be talking about the most serious thing, but he still was always upbeat,” Barnabei said. “He was just the kind of person that so easily made connections and brought people into his sphere and into his charm.”

Alford said Genco loved UB and was never tired of it despite working here for over five decades.

“He had opportunities to leave and go elsewhere. And he never did,” Alford said. “His heart was at UB, his soul was at UB. He had started his career at Foster Hall on the Main Street campus and the day he died he was in Foster Hall. It's a symbol of how he has come full circle.”

Jacklyn Walters is a Co-senior News Editor and can be reached at jacklyn.walters@ubspectrum.com and @JacklynUBSpec.


JACKLYN WALTERS
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Jacklyn Walters is a senior communication major and The Spectrum's managing editor. She enjoys bringing up politics at the dinner table and seeing dogs on campus. 

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