University of Chicago researchers are studying what factors support long, healthful lives — and targeting new interventions that can help others.
Edith Renfrow Smith, pictured at her 111th birthday in July
The greatest scientific breakthroughs rarely occur in isolation; they emerge from the steady convergence of curiosity, courage and collaboration.
Dear Colleagues,
What would the prospect of adding more years of good health mean to you? How might new advances in cancer treatments or mental health care help you or a loved one thrive in old age?
It is a privilege to open this issue with a reflection on why aging research and scientific collaboration matter so deeply at the University of Chicago, not only as intellectual pursuits, but as cornerstones for human dignity, resilience and shared progress.
Consider the remarkable subject of our cover story, 111-year-old Edith Renfrow Smith. As the oldest participant in UChicago’s SuperAging Research Initiative an international, multicenter study of mentally sharp adults age 80 and older the lively Smith has compelled our researchers to ask: What molecular, cellular and systemic factors support her acuity past the point when so many others decline? And, of course, how could those answers benefit others?
It is just one of many interdisciplinary efforts across the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine aimed at helping people lead longer, healthful lives. Our Neuroscience Institute, for example, is a hub for a diverse and cooperative group of scholars and scientists, and our Biophysical Sciences graduate program requires students to engage in cross-disciplinary research under dual mentorship.
I am proud to share stories that highlight some of those leading the charge. Among them:
■ Hedy Lee Kindler, MD, a leading figure in mesothelioma and other cancer trials. In her new role as Associate Dean for Clinical Science Research, Kindler is working to streamline and expedite clinical trials for patients who once had little choice in their treatment paths.
■ Seth Himelhoch, MD, MPH, our new Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience. He is integrating behavioral care into more primary specialties and clinical settings growth that reflects a culture of holistic, therapy-forward care.
■ Hening Lin, PhD, who joined UChicago in July 2024 with a tenured appointment in the Department of Medicine and a secondary appointment in Chemistry. His mission: to launch a core facility for chemical biology to help turn discoveries into therapeutics.
As part of our ongoing effort to align our resources with communication trends, Medicine on the Midway will move to an annual publication after this issue. I invite you to stay engaged with our academic and medical campuses via blogs published by the Biological Sciences Division (researchnews.bsd. uchicago.edu) and UChicago Medicine (uchicagomedicine.org/forefront), as well as our social media channels.
Even in times of change, our commitment to discovery, education and care remains steadfast. The greatest scientific breakthroughs rarely occur in isolation; they emerge from the steady convergence of curiosity, courage and collaboration. I hope this issue demonstrates that aging research and the many other scientific pursuits featured here are not niche endeavors, but fundamental to human experience and to the progress we pursue together.
We look forward to continuing to share these stories with you, both in the pages of this magazine and across our digital platforms.
Mark E. Anderson, MD, PhD
Paul and Allene Russell Professor Dean of the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine
Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs
The University of Chicago
Fall 2025 Volume 78, No. 2
A publication of the University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences Division. Medicine on the Midway is published for friends, alumni and faculty of the University of Chicago Medicine, Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine.
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The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and Biological Sciences Division
Executive Leadership
Mark E. Anderson, MD, PhD, Paul and Allene Russell Professor, Dean of the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine, and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs for the University of Chicago
T. Conrad Gilliam, PhD, Marjorie I. and Bernard A. Mitchell Distinguished Service Professor, Dean for Basic Science, Biological Sciences Division
Thomas E. Jackiewicz, President of the University of Chicago Health System
Vineet Arora, MD, AM’03, Herbert T. Abelson Professor, Dean for Medical Education, Pritzker School of Medicine
Carol Westbrook, AB’72, PhD’77, MD’78 University of Chicago Medicine
Communications
Kevin Joy, Editor
Editorial Contributors
Emily Ayshford
Kat Carlton
Jane Kollmer
Tyler Lockman
Devon McPhee
Danielle Narcisse
Grace Niewijk
Angela Wells O’Connor
Matt Wood
Photo Contributors
Mark Black
Jimmy Fishbein
Chris Jones
Andrew Nelles
Jordan Porter-Woodruff
Jason Smith
Ryan Smith
Joe Sterbenc
Krystyna Tesak
Joel Wintermantle
Nancy Wong
John Zich
Design
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Cover Photo
Chris Jones
Living long, living well 8
UChicago Medicine researchers are reframing aging, with a focus on independence, joy and resilience and unlocking clues that help explain why some people thrive late in life.
From cello to cardiology 6
The 50-year career of Anne Taylor, MD’76, is a medley of medicine and music.
Breaking barriers 15
New Psychiatry Chair Seth Himelhoch, MD, MPH, aims to redefine, expand mental health care.
Africa’s hidden urban divide 18
Using infrastructure data, detailed maps to identify economic, health gaps.
Midway News
Comer Children’s celebrates two decades of discovery. 2
$21 million gift to establish quantum biology and medicine center. 4
BSD News
Fish exoskeletons offer clues to human toothaches. 25
New test detects early-stage colorectal cancer with 95% accuracy. 26
The secret to better sleep? More fruits and vegetables. 27 Pritzker News
New fourth-year course focuses on medical residency success. 28 Students self-publish kids’ book about healthy family habits. 29
Comer Children’s turns 20
For 20 years, University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital has led innovations in pediatric care. Here are a few key milestones that have improved treatments and quality of life for young patients.
2005
Comer Children’s opens
The 242,000-square-foot facility named for benefactor Gary C. Comer and his wife, Francie offers advanced diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical technologies.
First transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement in U.S.
A catheter inserted through a 16-yearold’s groin into their heart allowed doctors access after scar tissue from previous operations had prevented open surgery.
2006
Youngest patient to receive Nuss procedure
A chest deformity affecting a toddler’s lung capacity was corrected via an innovative surgery that implanted a curved steel bar into the rib cage.
2008
World’s first pediatric robotic bladder reconstruction
Surgeons used robotic tools to rebuild a child’s severely undersized bladder; the hospital’s minimally invasive Pediatric Robotic Urology Surgery Program opened in 2007.
2012
Youngest-ever fecal transplant patient
An 18-month-old with drug-resistant C. diff was cured through a transplant of healthy gut microbes from his mother.
Nation’s first haplo-cord transplant
Comer Children’s team advanced stem cell therapy by combining halfmatched parental cells with cord blood from unrelated donors, offering new transplant options.
2014
First child in Illinois to receive MIBG therapy
A 6-year-old with aggressive neuroblastoma went into remission after receiving a targeted radioactive therapy that spares healthy tissue.
2016
Family Birth Center opens
The state-of-the-art center supports various birthing options with private recovery suites and easy access to neonatal experts.
2017
Landmark immunotherapy breakthrough
UChicago Medicine became the first certified site in the U.S. to offer FDAapproved CAR T-cell therapy for specific pediatric and adult blood cancers.
2018
Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance forms
Comer Children’s joined Advocate Children’s Hospital and NorthShore University HealthSystem to expand regional pediatric services.
Healing Garden opens
A redesigned, Dr. Seuss-inspired garden supports play, therapy and development for all ability levels.
Partnership with WNBA’s Chicago Sky
UChicago Medicine became the team’s official medical provider and introduced cuddly monster mascot Remoc (that’s “Comer” spelled backward) at home games.
PHOTO BY JEAN LACHAT
PHOTO BY
JORDAN PORTER-WOODRUFF
PHOTO BY JOHN ZICH
2020
Peanut allergy clinical trial
As a key trial site, Comer Children’s helped test Palforzia, an oral therapy later FDAapproved to build peanut tolerance.
Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Program launches
A specialized team offers a full range of services for young patients with gynecologic concerns.
2021
Laser hemispherectomy for epilepsy
Using a novel, minimally invasive technique, doctors at Comer Children’s and from UChicago’s Department of Neurosurgery disconnected brain hemispheres to stop a young boy’s seizures.
2022
“Sim Center” ambulance rolls out
The colorful mobile unit trains staff and community members in CPR, transport safety and emergency bleeding control.
RBC Race for the Kids turns 20
The hospital’s largest community fundraiser has raised over $3.8 million and seen 18,000-plus participants since its launch by Jean and Daniel Mohan, a grateful patient family.
2023
First Small Baby Unit on Chicago’s South Side
Located in the NICU, this 16-bed unit mimics the womb to support fragile newborns with specialized care.
Cottage Grove clinic opens
UChicago Medicine and Comer Children’s expand pediatric services on the South Side with a new clinic offering family medicine, general pediatrics and more.
2024
New sickle cell gene therapies
Comer Children’s became one of the first hospitals in the U.S. to offer cutting-edge gene therapies to treat sickle cell disease, reducing crises and offering alternatives to transplants.
Report highlights big impact
According to its latest Community Benefit Report, the University of Chicago Medicine provided $715 million in community benefits in fiscal year 2024 across the South Side, the south suburbs and Northwest Indiana. The report highlights programs and investments that address food insecurity, maternal and infant health, chronic disease management, trauma recovery and workforce development.
The efforts “reflect more than two decades of working side by side with our neighbors to address critical health priorities,” said Catina Latham, AB’95, PhD, Senior Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at UChicago Medicine. “From the South Side to the Southland to Northwest Indiana, we remain committed to partnering for healthier, stronger communities.”
Some of the report’s highlights include:
■ $5.7 billion in total community benefit investments since 2013
■ 58,000 pounds of food distributed via Feed1st pantries
■ 1,529 hours volunteered for community health programs and events
■ $300,000 supporting the Boys & Girls Clubs in Northwest Indiana
■ 6,900 patients supported by the Liaisons in Care community health worker program since 2021
■ 11,000+ patients engaged by the Violence Recovery Program since 2018
To read the report, visit community.uchicagomedicine.org/2024
PHOTO BY JIMMY FISHBEIN
PHOTO BY JORDAN PORTER-WOODRUFF PHOTO BY
PHOTO BY JOEL WINTERMANTLE
Quantum medicine finds a home
Major gift supports research in bold new field
BY GRACE NIEWIJK
A $21 million gift from philanthropist
Thea Berggren to the University of Chicago will launch the Berggren Center for Quantum Biology and Medicine.
The center positions the university and academic medical center at the forefront of using quantum technology which achieves highly powerful computation and sensing by leveraging properties of the smallest particles of energy and matter with biology to revolutionize medicine.
“The University of Chicago is a world leader in quantum science, sensing and computing while also boasting an extremely strong biomedical research enterprise,” said Julian Solway, MD, Professor Emeritus of Medicine.
“It’s a match made in heaven for translational innovation.”
The center will be co-led by Solway and Greg Engel, PhD, Professor at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. It will focus on three primary goals:
■ Train a new generation of physician scientists versed in quantum tools
■ Bring together experts in physics, biomedicine and medicine to develop relevant quantum technologies
■ Implement the clinical adoption of quantum tools with deep understanding of both the technology and healthcare needs
UChicago’s deep history of pushing the envelope of physics knowledge has led to key medical advances in fields like chemotherapy and radiation oncology, said Marcus Clark, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the UChicago Medical Scientist Training Program, which will soon offer students the opportunity to pursue a dedicated quantum certificate.
“It’s only fitting that this institution will become home to such an interdisciplinary gift that will bring together exceptional students and current and future scientists who have a shared interest in bringing quantum technologies to bear on human health,” Clark said.
The Berggren Center will develop new training programs for medical students, residents, fellows and PhD candidates to become fluent in medicine and quantum science with the help of mentorship and immersive rotations that span from clinics to fabrication labs.
Initial research will focus on quantum sensing and imaging providing new
ways to visualize biology with extreme precision. These tools could help track immune responses in real time, detect disease earlier and guide treatment more accurately.
“Fusing quantum physics and medicine is no small feat, but it opens the door to tools and discoveries we never thought possible,” Engel said.
Berggren said her gift was motivated by the potential of new advancements: “During a visit to the Atacama Desert (in Chile), I engaged with astronomers from around the world, and all were inspired by how quantum mechanics is shaping the future. That moment sparked a different question: What if we applied the same quantum principles to cellular physiology and pathology?
“The potential to transform medicine and how we understand and treat disease is extraordinary, and the University of Chicago is the ideal place to bring this vision to life.”
UCMC cancer program ranked Illinois’ best for third consecutive year
The University of Chicago Medical Center (UCMC) achieved national recognition in 10 specialties one of only 28 hospitals nationwide to do so in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-26 Best Hospitals rankings. The cancer program maintained its No. 12 ranking and was named the best in Illinois for the third year in a row.
UCMC’s gastroenterology and GI surgery program improved significantly, moving up five places to No. 20.
The Medical Center was the only academic institution in Illinois to be recognized as a Best Regional Hospital for Community Access. It also received “high-performing” ratings in 17 common procedures and conditions.
BY
PHOTO
JASON SMITH
From left: Greg Engel, PhD, Thea Berggren and Julian Solway, MD
Neil Shubin, PhD, nominated as next president of National Academy of Sciences
Neil Shubin, PhD, has been nominated as the next president of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), a leading scientific body that advises the U.S. government on sciencerelated issues. His term will begin in June 2026.
“I’m honored and excited to be nominated,” said Shubin, the Robert R. Bensley Distinguished Service Professor of Organismal Biology and Anatomy at the University of Chicago, and an NAS member since 2011. “The Academy plays a critical role in applying scientific knowledge to pressing national and global issues.”
An acclaimed evolutionary biologist, Shubin is best known for discovering Tiktaalik roseae, a 375-million-year-old fossil that reveals key steps in the transition from fish to land animals. His discovery was the basis for two books and an Emmy-winning PBS series.
“From his fascinating discoveries on the evolutionary origins of limbs to his work popularizing the wonders of science through his books and television series, Neil Shubin is an exemplary scientist and public intellectual,” said Mark Anderson, Dean of UChicago’s Biological Sciences Division and Pritzker School of Medicine, and the Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs.
At UChicago, where he has been a faculty member since 2000, Shubin leads a molecular biology and paleontology lab where researchers experiment with embryos from sharks, paddlefish and other species. Shubin’s teaching has inspired many students to pursue developmental biology research, and he has advised trainees from fields that include paleontology and engineering.
Currently the Associate Dean of Basic Science Research and Academic Strategy at UChicago, Shubin has held senior leadership roles at the Marine Biological Laboratory and the Field Museum.
He serves as associate editor and editorial board member for Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed multidisciplinary scientific journal, and he chairs the advisory board for LabX, an NAS science communication program.
New neurosurgery leaders join UChicago Medicine
Mohamad Bydon, MD, left, has joined the University of Chicago Medicine as the first Chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery and Health System Leader for Neurological Surgery. Bydon, an expert in minimally invasive and robotic approaches to complex spinal conditions, previously worked at the Mayo Clinic.
Arthur DiPatri, MD, joined UChicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital as Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery and Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery for the Chicagoland Children’s Health Alliance. DiPatri spent more than two decades at Lurie Children’s Hospital. He and Bydon started their roles this summer.
From cello to cardiology
BY EMILY AYSHFORD
Anne Taylor MD’76, learned to read before kindergarten, setting the stage for a life of learning throughout her childhood in New York. “We had books about everything: science, biographies, adventure tales,” she said. “I loved reading and learning about it all.”
When Taylor wasn’t reading, she was playing music first the piano, as taught by her mother, and then the cello via free group lessons at school.
Although she majored in biology as an undergraduate at Hofstra University, she minored in music and French literature. “I enjoyed almost everything academically,” Taylor said, “but when I graduated, I had no idea what I wanted to do.”
After two years studying the cello at the Manhattan School of Music, Taylor decided to change her tune. A summer job at a Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center laboratory elevated her interest in biology and medicine.
While applying to attend the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, she knew it was the place for her.
“The interview was a stimulating conversation,” Taylor said. “I liked the idea of taking care of patients and making a difference in people’s lives, but the emphasis at UChicago also focused on how important discovery science was to provide the best care.”
Career with high notes
Nearly 50 years after Taylor graduated from medical school, her career has been a medley of patient care, research and leadership roles supporting faculty and programs.
At UChicago, Taylor appreciated the early introduction of clinical practice and principles, and she loved caring for South Side patients “that came from every demographic” and who “were all treated with the same compassion and evidence-based approach.”
She stayed on at UChicago for her residency and fellowship in cardiology, then continued her training
at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Iowa.
Initially, her research focused on interactions among myocardial ischemia, reperfusion and function in hypertrophied myocardium, a disease state in which the heart muscle becomes thickened. But Taylor gravitated toward clinical research, chairing the steering committee for the first major clinical trial to test the effectiveness of heart failure medication in Black patients. She also studied the impact of cardiovascular disease in women.
When she became chief of cardiology at the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Taylor found herself drawn to administrative leadership as a division director.
“I really enjoyed being a cardiologist, but then I found I really enjoyed program building and supporting those who implement these missions,” she said.
Advocacy and music
For nearly two decades, Taylor focused on building programs to support faculty at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, where she was most recently vice dean for academic affairs and senior vice president for faculty affairs and career development.
She is particularly proud of the impact that her work has had on women’s career development.
In 2021, her team was honored with the National Institutes of Health’s Prize for Enhancing Faculty Gender Diversity in Biomedical and Behavioral Science.
Taylor retired from Columbia this summer, but she doesn’t plan to slow down.
She plans to focus on interests beyond medicine reading, playing and studying music, and spending time with loved ones and to keep current with public health trends and new ways for underserved patient populations to receive healthcare.
“Medicine is a huge part of my self-identity, but I have had so many other interests and activities throughout my life that now it just feels like I’m adding to my world, not subtracting,” Taylor said.
Anne Taylor, MD’76, dedicated her career to heart health and faculty development.
Growing MPH program earns new accreditation
The University of Chicago’s Master of Public Health (MPH) program has earned accreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), affirming its quality and alignment with national standards.
The accreditation, which is retroactive, strengthens the credentials of all graduates and ensures they’ve been trained in essential public health competencies.
UChicago launched its MPH program in 2021, just as the COVID-19 pandemic cast a spotlight on global public health gaps and the need for a new generation of leaders trained in data, policy and communitybased solutions.
“We want our students to be publicfacing scientists,” said David Moskowitz, PhD, Senior Instructional Professor in the
of Public Health Sciences. “That means working directly with communities and applying evidence-based solutions to realworld challenges.”
CEPH accreditation ensures all MPH programs cover a common set of core competencies, but UChicago’s offering stands out in several ways, Moskowitz said.
Each cohort currently enrolls around 30 to 35 students, which is less than many peer institutions.
“Students know each other well,” Moskowitz said. “They network across cohorts. They support each other’s research and careers in ways that just aren’t possible in a 200-student program.”
Another hallmark is the program’s quantitative rigor: Students gain valuable fluency in statistical programming languages like R, STATA and Python.
“In many ways, our students are data scientists from Day One,” said Moskowitz, adding that their learning is elevated through fieldwork, community partnerships and faculty mentorship.
The program launched with three concentrations Data Science, Public Health Policy, and Epidemiology & Global
Your generosity empowered the people and programs that drive innovation and care.
BY GRACE NIEWIJK
Living long, living well
UChicago Medicine
researchers are
reframing aging, with a focus on independence, joy and resilience and unlocking clues that help explain why some people thrive late in life
On the day before her 111th birthday in late July, Edith Renfrow Smith wasn’t sitting still. She was busy teaching a young visitor how to bake a cherry-raspberry pie.
It was more than recalling a familiar recipe; it was a hands-on lesson warm, precise and delivered with the easy authority of a woman who has spent more than a century turning grit into grace.
Smith, the first Black woman to graduate from Grinnell College, is one of Chicago’s oldest residents, and her days are busy with cooking, reading and dispensing practical wisdom.
“The word ‘can’t’ is not in my vocabulary,” she said.
As a participant in the University of Chicago’s SuperAging Research Initiative an international,
multicenter study designed to better understand the factors tied to longevity Smith and her vibrant life offer more than inspiration. Her history, habits and health give clues to answering big questions that could unlock a brighter future for more older adults. Among them: Why do some people maintain memory, independence and psychological well-being in their 80s, 90s and beyond? In what ways do genetic, biological and lifestyle factors shape health? Which simple changes a slightly faster walking pace, for instance, or staying socially connected benefit independence? And how can healthcare systems better support older adults beyond a clinical setting? Some answers come from brain scans and blood biomarkers; others from microscopes or
Edith Renfrow Smith celebrates her birthday with 85-year-old William Scott, a friend and fellow SuperAging Research Initiative participant.
wearable sensors. The work, part of a broad and collaborative effort across multiple universities, has a shared purpose.
“We want to increase awareness and the scientific probability of positive trajectories of aging for all,” said SuperAging researcher Emily Rogalski, PhD, the Rosalind Franklin Professor of Neurology at UChicago.
‘For life and beyond’
Early in her career, Rogalski established a clinical definition for a demographic known as “SuperAgers”: people over 80 whose memory still functions at least as well as that of someone in their 50s or 60s.
“We have so much to learn from these remarkable people who are staying mentally sharp, learning new things and enjoying life in defiance of society’s expectations,” Rogalski said.
Rogalski heads up UChicago’s Healthy Aging & Alzheimer’s Research Care (HAARC) Center, a newly established research hub where neuroscientists, geneticists, clinical neurologists, psychiatrists, neuropathologists, radiologists, data scientists, immunologists and more are studying the many factors tied to cognitive resilience and preservation.
The center’s core approach flips a common script: Rather than only cataloging decline, the team studies what’s going right in the lives of healthy, high-functioning individuals.
To that end, participants in the SuperAging Research Initiative share medical and family histories, complete detailed memory testing, undergo brain scans and contribute blood samples so scientists can look for genetic and other biomarkers. Wearable sensors add a window into aspects of daily life such as sleep, activity and even patterns of social interaction.
Beyond collecting people’s physical data, UChicago clinicians are examining the role of lifestyle, personal history and resilience. Consider Smith, who is the granddaughter of slaves and grew up without a refrigerator. A dedicated schoolteacher, she volunteered at the Art Institute of Chicago and Goodwill well until her 90s. Today, as an independent resident in a senior living community, she still hosts guests in her apartment and remains an active member of her church.
“You’ve got to do something,” Smith said. “That’s why the Lord sent you here.”
The initiative conducts testing over time. As Rogalski puts it, enrollment is “for life and beyond,” with many South Side and UChicago Medicine patients eager to participate in positive research focused on a diverse population.
“People’s faces light up when we ask questions about what’s helping people live long and live well, and they get to tell us about a friend, neighbor or relative who fits that positive description,” Rogalski said.
Some have even consented to donate their brains after death, allowing Rogalski’s team to study how years of cognitive testing and real-world data collection correlate with cell types, circuitry and the presence or absence of disease hallmarks.
Smith, the initiative’s oldest participant, is already on board as a donor. “If somebody can look at my brain and get some information that will help other people like me, then I absolutely want them to do that,” she said.
Reclaiming sensory declines
Much of the research is focused on spotting and slowing the signs of old age. After all, loss of vision, hearing and other senses can have far-reaching consequences on quality of life. Up to 94% of U.S. adults experience some sensory dulling as they grow older, according to nationwide data collected by NORC at the University of Chicago.
Living past 100
■ 101,000 estimated centenarians in the U.S.
■ 78% are women
■ 3 in 4 are white
■ 4x projected demographic share by 2054
Jayant Pinto, MD, a Professor of Surgery and Medicine, argues these changes are not mere inconveniences.
“When your senses decline, you can’t experience the world as well,” said Pinto, who is an expert in olfactory dysfunction. “You can’t hear friends at the dinner table or read the menu or enjoy the flavor of food. It makes all your cognitive burdens a little harder, and that probably wears you down over time and causes mental health problems.”
to identify the “positive trajectories of aging” that can benefit everyone.
Emily Rogalski, PhD, seeks
8 habits of thriving SuperAgers
1 Prioritize good sleep, regular exercise and a balanced diet
2 Stay socially connected, especially across generations
In a study published in June 2024 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Pinto and colleagues analyzed sensory function and self-reported mental health in nearly 4,000 older adults over a decade. People with multiple impairments reported more loneliness and lower overall mental health; those with three or more sensory disabilities were likelier to experience frequent depressive episodes.
When the impairments and their associated effects were examined separately, vision loss showed the strongest association with loneliness and poor self-rated mental health.
Co-author Alexander Wang, currently a fourth-year student at the Pritzker School of Medicine, noted that hearing and vision disabilities can carry heavy social stigma, which may amplify distress.
The solutions, Pinto said, start with acceptance and access: hearing aids and other assistive devices (which may also support cognitive health), cataract surgery and other vision interventions, and even smell training and treatments that reduce sinus inflammation for certain types of olfactory loss.
“In many cases, we can mitigate sensory difficulties in ways that might actually improve people’s lives, mental health and sense
3 Meet new people regularly to stimulate the mind and prevent isolation
of loneliness which is a huge epidemic,” Pinto said. “These are simple ways we can intervene to help people and potentially have a huge impact on society.”
Small steps fight frailty
For many older adults, the onset of frailty manifests in the basic parts of daily life, such as difficulty getting up from their favorite chair or struggling to keep up with grandchildren. And because frailty a condition marked by muscle weakness, slowness and exhaustion is closely linked to physical function, walking is one of the easiest, most impactful areas to target.
Daniel Rubin, MS’19, MD, Associate Professor of Anesthesia and Critical Care, in July published research in PLOS One focused on a metric people can feel underfoot: cadence, or steps per minute.
A structured walking program for older adults who were frail or at risk of becoming frail revealed that those who increased their cadence by about 14 steps per minute above their usual pace about 100 steps per minute in most cases improved their ability to walk longer distances in standardized tests.
“People who haven’t experienced frailty can’t imagine how big a difference it makes to be able to not get tired going to the grocery store or not need to sit down while they’re out,” said Rubin, who in 2022 received prestigious Grants for Early Medical/ Surgical Specialists’ Transition to Aging Research (GEMSSTAR) funding from the National Institute on Aging. “Even casual walking had positive effects on our study participants.”
To study the findings outside a lab, Rubin’s team developed a smartphone app that counts steps with research-grade accuracy. Although the tool is still in testing, the approach doesn’t require specialized gear: Anyone can count their steps for a minute to determine their usual pace, then experiment with a small increase. A metronome app can help keep a steady, elevated rhythm to guide their pace.
Daniel Rubin, MS’19, MD, found that an increased walking cadence can lessen the risk of frailty.
Jayant Pinto, MD, is examining the ways declines in sensory function affect mental health.
PHOTO BY NANCY WONG
PHOTO BY JORDAN PORTER-WOODRUFF
4 Engage in active learning not just reading, but discussion with others
5 Maintain a sense of purpose that offers a reason to get up each morning
6 Continue working or being engaged in meaningful activities as long as possible
7 Build resilience by adapting to life’s challenges
8 Avoid harmful exposures and stressful experiences when possible
The point, Rubin said, isn’t increasing walking cadence for its own sake. Preserving stamina that allows people to visit friends, enjoy hobbies and manage everyday tasks is the goal.
Earlier detection of Parkinson’s Observance and action are common threads across aging research. And they’re critical in Parkinson’s disease, where slowness, tremor and rigidity often define the public image but the earliest hints may be quieter such as constipation, loss of smell, acting out dreams during sleep or mood changes.
Those clues can emerge years before classic motor symptoms do, said Tao Xie, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology and Director of UChicago Medicine’s Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Clinic.
“We want to pay especially close attention to the prodromal patient population, those exhibiting very early symptoms possibly leading to Parkinson’s disease, because studying this group well might help us modify the disease in the future by slowing progression or even achieving prevention,” Xie said.
patients and were less likely to be on Parkinson’s medication, despite receiving more of their care in an emergency department setting.
The implication, Xie said, is practical and urgent: “If we’re seeing someone four years later than we should have, that’s four years we could otherwise have helped.”
Nationally, Xie co-leads a National Institutes of Health-funded, multisite study examining the gut-brain axis in Parkinson’s disease. He and
In a large electronic health record study published in 2021, Xie and his team found that Black patients were diagnosed about four years later than white
other researchers hypothesize that environmental exposures and aging can drive changes in the microbiome and lead to gut inflammation, seeding misfolded proteins that migrate to the brain.
Smith, second from bottom left, seated with members of the University of Chicago SuperAging Research Initiatives team and SuperAging ambassadors.
PHOTO BY NANCY WONG
studied how detecting early hints of Parkinson’s disease can improve care and outcomes.
The UChicago arm of the study pairs clinical assessments with stool samples for metabolomics and microbial signatures, and even skin biopsies to detect pathology markers to build a layered picture across diagnosed patients, prodromal individuals and healthy controls. Medications and, for select patients, deep brain stimulation can remain key to improving motor symptoms. But Xie emphasizes the value of nonpharmacologic elements such as physical, occupational and speech therapy.
At UChicago Medicine, social workers are on call next door to the clinic to connect families with community resources in a timely manner.
“Diagnosis and medication are just part of a larger picture,” Xie said. “People need systemic support not just medical, but social and financial systems as well.”
A career dedicated to geriatric care
Peter Pompei, MD’77, didn’t intend to become a geriatrician he went back and forth between internal medicine and surgery. But his path changed when he was recruited back to the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine after a fellowship on the condition that he focus his clinical and academic work in geriatrics.
“I’m always amazed by the diversity of older individuals,” he said. “There are people who are functioning at a high level, and there are people who are debilitated and need special care. They have the most complex, interacting diseases that have stemmed from a variety of psychological changes and social determinants, which has made for an interesting and challenging practice.”
Age-friendly infrastructure
Biomedical aging research, though valuable, is limited if care sites and clinical training aren’t attuned to how older adults actually live. That notion drives Katherine Thompson, MD, and Megan Huisingh-Scheetz, MD, MPH, UChicago Medicine geriatricians who have spent more than a decade building programs that start with function, goals and context.
Thompson, a Professor of Medicine, cites the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Age-Friendly Health Systems framework that encompasses the four M’s mobility, medications, mentation (cognitive and behavioral health) and what matters to the person as a practical blueprint for hospitals and clinics.
The framework, she said, focuses on the whole patient rather than just their chronic conditions. “What’s important for you, and then how do we shape your care around that?”
As director of the Supporting Healthy Aging Resources & Education (SHARE) Network, Illinois’ federally funded Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program, Thompson manages a team dedicated to helping upskill the existing healthcare workforce to better integrate age-friendly practices in the exam room and at the bedside. This includes training
Pompei has spent much of his nearly 50-year career advocating for the principles of geriatrics, which call for understanding older individuals’ physical, psychological and social factors while also incorporating special care considerations like age-appropriate dosing.
Pompei took those ideals to the American Geriatrics Society, where he championed infusing the principles into surgical practice.
“We wanted them widely disseminated into all specialties, so that the care of older individuals could be improved,” he said.
And when serving as the geriatrics fellowship director at UChicago and then at Stanford University, where he is now a clinical professor of medicine focused on primary care and population health, Pompei instilled the same knowledge in students, residents and fellows.
“We need to recognize that older individuals are different, that they have physical, cognitive and emotional changes that occur with all of us in aging, and those changes need to be carefully considered and addressed by healthcare providers,” he said.
Pompei also loved hearing older adults’ life stories when delivering their care. He recalled a patient who had been present at the siege of Leningrad in the early 1940s. “There are things you read about in textbooks, and you can’t even imagine there are people who have experienced that kind of thing until you meet them and hear about it firsthand,” he said.
Peter Pompei, MD’77
Tao Xie, MD, PhD, has
PHOTO BY JORDAN PORTER-WOODRUFF
New hope for primary progressive aphasia
Imagine gradually losing the ability to express yourself not because you’ve forgotten the words, but because they simply won’t come out. This is the reality for people living with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a rare form of dementia that usually begins in middle age and increasingly impairs language abilities over time.
In addition to studying the “SuperAger” population, Emily Rogalski, PhD, the Rosalind Franklin Professor of Neurology at UChicago,
and her colleagues at the Healthy Aging & Alzheimer’s Research Care Center and other institutions are also working to illuminate the struggles of those living with PPA and to pioneer accessible treatment approaches. Among their recent publications were papers that quantified PPA’s negative impact on quality of life and reported positive results from the Communication Bridge 2 trial testing telehealth interventions to help people with PPA extend their independence.
Potential solutions include personalized, goal-directed interventions from trained speech-language pathologists that have produced meaningful gains toward outcomes that matter in daily life, including valuable interactions with friends, family and community members.
“We think the frameworks we have can be adapted and used to support advocacy and interventions for multiple different dementia syndromes and conditions,” Rogalski said.
primary care physicians using online case-based sessions; hosting hands-on workshops for nursing home teams; and moderating community health talks on the South Side.
Inside UChicago Medicine, Thompson and Huisingh-Scheetz co-direct the Supporting Age-Friendly Evaluation and Care (SAFE) Clinic, a standardized consult pathway for older adults especially individuals preparing for major surgery, chemotherapy or transplant.
Every patient receives the same core assessment: cognition and delirium risk; gait, balance and falls; medication safety; nutrition; social supports; and what success looks like to them.
“Our job is to maximize quality of life and independence for each patient as long as possible, whether that means preventing or slowing decline or trying to salvage or augment key areas of loss,” said Huisingh-Scheetz, an Associate Professor of Medicine.
That’s why she and her research collaborators have begun to deploy wearable sensors and advanced digital analytics to detect patterns in patients’ movement and rest that can reveal small declines before they escalate. A separate project delivers exercise and social-engagement programming via a custom app on voice-assistant devices.
Both projects are tailored to recruit people who are often left out of research: those who meet criteria for frailty and overlapping conditions.
“The people who have the most need for interventions are unfortunately the least likely to be in our trials,” Huisingh-Scheetz said. “Early assessments, frequent monitoring and early intervention to preserve independence as much as possible that’s the name of the game.”
A winning combination
Aging well, researchers know, isn’t a single breakthrough. It’s a series of choices that compound: scientists who study resilience instead of resignation; clinicians who standardize assessments that catch problems early; families who nudge a walking pace, schedule a hearing check or learn a new way to keep a conversation going.
It’s also a policy decision to prioritize independencepreserving care, even when it doesn’t involve pharmaceutical treatments. The ongoing work at UChicago aims to help older adults make important choices sooner and in ways that are easier and more equitable.
“Finding a cure for a given aging-associated condition isn’t the only way we can help people,” Rogalski said. “Maximizing independence, emotional well-being and confidence if we can ramp those up while we’re still simultaneously looking for pharmacological solutions, that’s a winning combination.”
Thompson, MD, right, and Megan
MPH, advocate for holistic care sites and clinical training to better serve older adults.
Smith is a prime example. Speaking to a Chicago Sun-Times reporter at her birthday party, she offered her own prescription: “Every day that God gives you, use it,” she said. “You can do what you like, because someone has said, ‘Oh hey. Try it. Try it and see.’ You don’t know unless you try. Don’t let anybody tell you, ‘I can’t.’ You say, ‘I’ll try.’
“That’s the difference between living and not living.”
Katherine
HuisinghScheetz, MD,
PHOTO BY JORDAN PORTER-WOODRUFF
Six questions with Peter McCauley, MD’86
Peter McCauley, MD’86, has built a career around bridging patient care, healthcare executive leadership and community service. He spent 15 years at Cigna, most recently as medical officer, and he is a longtime volunteer pediatrician on Chicago’s South Side. He also serves as part of the University of Chicago Medical & Biological Sciences Alumni Association (MBSAA), an effort inspired by those who shaped him as a student at the Pritzker School of Medicine.
Why get involved with the MBSAA? I’ve always believed in giving back to those who invested in me, and the people who guided me during medical school and residency clearly made that investment. Offering my time to the association allows me to support the university, to serve as an ambassador to fellow alumni and to help ensure students have resources they need.
has been humbling and inspiring. She started at Pritzker during the pandemic, which impacted some of her early training; however, she had a much larger community of African American classmates than I did. Although my mother has passed, I know she is smiling down on us both.
How did UChicago influence your core values?
of Neonatology, combined deep expertise with a passion for education. Later, as a resident at Wyler [now Comer] Children’s Hospital, I learned from chief residents James Mitchell, MD, and Sandra Turner, MD both outstanding African American leaders who showed me that medicine could encompass not only clinical care, but leadership and administration as well.
Your family has three generations of UChicago graduates. How does that feel?
As a teen, I remember discovering my mother’s master’s dissertation and thinking it was pretty cool she had studied at UChicago. Years later, when I became a medical student there, it felt like an extraordinary gift. Watching the journey of my daughter [Leslie McCauley, MD’24]
During my medical studies, I saw classmates, residents and faculty commit time to St Basil’s, a free clinic in Garfield Park, despite their many demands. That instilled in me the importance of service and community. Today, I volunteer at TCA Health on the South Side, where there is a critical need for access to care. It’s rewarding to help families make informed decisions and for young people to see a physician who looks like them.
Who influenced your professional journey?
Pediatrician Janis Mendelsohn, MD, impressed me with her clinical skill and extraordinary teaching. The late William Meadow, MD, PhD, former Co-Director
Could you share a career highlight?
Helping people advance in their careers has been the icing on the cake. At Cigna, I managed a nationwide team of more than 100 physician and nurse executives; one of my greatest achievements was seeing colleagues develop as leaders, elevate their careers and mentor others.
How can busy professionals make time to give back?
The simple advice is: You can do it. For alumni, remember what you gained from UChicago and consider supporting the institution in new ways during these challenging times. And for students, know that alumni care deeply about your success and are here to support you.
PHOTO BY MARK BLACK
Peter McCauley, MD’86, with his daughter, Leslie McCauley, MD’24, at Match Day.
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
Breaking barriers
New psychiatry chair aims to redefine, expand mental health care
BY MATT WOOD
Seth Himelhoch, MD, MPH, didn’t set out to become a psychiatrist.
In fact, his early aspirations were far from medicine. As a Brandeis University undergrad, he immersed himself in literature. “I realized in my junior or senior year that as much as I love poetry, I was never going to be a person who could be a professor of literature,” Himelhoch said. “I just didn’t have what it took to be that creative.”
But science also sparked his curiosity, which spurred a pivot to medical school at the University of Michigan. There, Himelhoch married his humanities background with the demands of medical training by starting a reading group amid the grind of exams and anatomy labs.
His career path crystallized in the early 1990s during a moment of national crisis. HIV had become the leading cause of death among Americans age 25 to 44.
Seth Himelhoch, MD, MPH, envisions a holistic ecosystem of services supporting patients’ mental health.
“It was the epidemic of my generation,” Himelhoch said. “I wanted to be part of the group of people who were going to try to find ways to help people with HIV get medical treatment with dignity and respect.”
Rather than zero in on a single disease or organ system, Himelhoch chose psychiatry for its breadth and depth. “Psychiatry offered a holistic approach to the caring of a person, and to me, that was really important,” he said.
Thirty years later, the decision seems prescient. Psychiatry is going through a renaissance, spurred by a groundswell of cultural change that is destigmatizing conditions such as anxiety, depression and substance use disorder.
Following the collective trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic, Himelhoch is stepping in to lead the
Emotional care for cancer patients
Cancer, as well as its emotional and psychological effects, is different for everyone. It’s why the Psycho-Oncology Program at UChicago Medicine is designed to support the mental health of cancer patients and their loved ones throughout the journey.
University of Chicago’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at a time when the demand for mental health care has never been higher.
It’s an opportunity, he says, to place mental health care front and center.
Seat at the table
Amid growth and demand comes challenges. Behavioral health, or mental health, “has always been sidelined because of those adjectives before the word
A multidisciplinary team provides personalized assessments and evidence-based treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness. Psychiatric services can be integrated to manage medical symptoms related to mental health. The program, which also offers sexual health and pain management services, adolescent and young adult care, and peer support groups, is committed to training future mental health professionals and advancing care through clinical studies.
PHOTO BY NANCY WONG
‘health,’” Himelhoch said. “It makes it sound like we’re doing something different than other people who work in healthcare.”
But one of the single best things that a community can do, he said, is to lead the way in thinking about mental health as simply health: “Once that occurs, then the community of clinicians, and the community of people who seek care, can begin to see all healthcare as holistic.”
That philosophy underpins Himelhoch’s vision for the department as well as integrated offerings at UChicago Medicine.
Himelhoch is the department’s first permanent chair since 2016, taking over from Daniel Yohanna, MD, who served as interim chair through a period of rapid growth. During Yohanna’s tenure, the department added research faculty, clinicians and students, expanding services beyond Hyde Park to facilities like UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey. Systemwide, appointments for psychiatric care jumped nearly 30% in just three years.
Before coming to UChicago last summer, Himelhoch served on the faculty at the University of California, San Francisco, the University of Maryland
and the University of Kentucky, where he had been the chair of its Department of Psychiatry since 2018.
“He’s seen and heard it all, so he’s realistic about working to improve and grow the system,” Yohanna said. “I think he’ll continue to carry on the added value we’ve already developed for the department to the rest of the institution.”
‘A community of learning’
Himelhoch’s first priority is embedding mental health care into the rest of the medical system not as an afterthought or referral, but as an essential part of each patient’s care journey.
Too often, he said, mental health support is siloed and patients get referred to therapists outside the system, sometimes with little follow-up.
Himelhoch believes in addressing mental health needs up front, along with the rest of a patient’s care. Psychiatrists should be part of the patient’s regular care team, embedded within specialty clinics and working side by side with other physicians.
For example, someone with Type 1 diabetes would meet with a psychiatrist who specializes in endocrinology a clinician who understands the
From isolation to intervention
Electronic patient portals are transforming mental health care by allowing patients to privately complete screenings for depression, PTSD and substance use disorder from home. This approach helps overcome barriers faced by those who withdraw socially and avoid seeking traditional care, said Neda Laiteerapong, MS’12, MD, Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry and Director of the Primary Care-Behavioral Health Integration Program.
Laiteerapong and other University of Chicago researchers have found that patients using portals often have more severe symptoms than those visiting clinics, highlighting a critical gap in mental health outreach. By proactively inviting patients to self-report, these tools increase screening reach and connect more individuals to timely care.
Neda Laiteerapong, MS’12, MD, is studying how digital portals can help doctors better identify and treat high-risk patients.
Ongoing projects like ePORTAL HIV-S and PORTAL-PTSD focus on underserved populations, including Black patients with HIV and communities on Chicago’s South Side affected by trauma and systemic inequities and they help shift mental health care from reactive to preventive so patients can receive support without needing to initiate contact.
Beyond survival: Healing the mind
The University of Chicago Medicine’s Violence Recovery Program (VRP) addresses the deep psychological impact of trauma, recognizing that recovery goes beyond physical healing. As the only hospital-based program of its kind in Chicago, the VRP offers critical mental
health support to victims of intentional violence, many of whom show signs of acute stress or PTSD.
The program, founded in 2018, connects patients to behavioral health services, helps reduce stigma around mental health care and supports long-term
mental toll of managing a chronic illness and can help the patient stay engaged with treatment.
Much of this work is already underway at UChicago Medicine, with programs that integrate behavioral health screenings into primary care, provide support for cancer patients, evaluate candidates for organ transplants and assist victims of gun violence treated at the trauma center.
Such efforts “create a community of learning about behavioral health issues so that primary care providers and other specialists can feel comfortable asking the right questions,” Himelhoch said. “They know that they can refer patients if they need to and have it all integrated into one site.”
Driven to help others
Even as he leads a major academic department, Himelhoch remains a dedicated researcher particularly on the intersection of behavioral health and chronic illness. His work in HIV care in the early 2000s led him to a key insight: Among patients with HIV, those who smoked had far worse outcomes than those who didn’t.
By then, antiretroviral therapy had transformed HIV from a fatal diagnosis to a manageable condition. But smoking-related illnesses such as heart and lung disease were cutting lives short.
Himelhoch saw an opportunity. If behavioral interventions could help HIV patients quit smoking, they might drastically improve outcomes. At Maryland, he began a series of studies targeting
emotional recovery. Culturally competent violence recovery specialists many with personal experience of trauma build trust via counseling, education and referrals.
In 2024, the VRP saw:
■ 3,794 total patient encounters
■ 1,946 patients engaged in emergency department crisis response
■ 62% enrolled in case management
■ 81% of those in need receive referrals for essential services
Source: 2024 Community Benefit Report
UChicago Medicine Pediatric Violence Recovery Specialist
Tre Nowaczynski, center, speaks with Pritzker School of Medicine students.
smoking cessation. One recent randomized clinical trial in Nairobi, Kenya, showed promising results: A combination of behavioral therapy and medication doubled quit rates.
After moving to Kentucky, Himelhoch continued research on smoking cessation. He leads one of seven federal Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science, which informs the Food and Drug Administration on how to regulate tobacco use by understanding the unique smoking habits of a population.
While his prior research focused on rural areas, Himelhoch plans to adapt it to urban areas like the South Side of Chicago, which has high smoking rates as well.
Improving tobacco regulation, researching ways to help people with HIV stop smoking, and integrating behavioral health care throughout a growing health system feel like a tall order for an erstwhile literary scholar turned psychiatrist. But it all fits into Himelhoch’s drive to find where he can make the biggest contribution to help the most people possible.
“I’m a firm believer in dreaming big, and that having big ideas often leads to really interesting and impactful solutions,” he said. “A big part of that is to help other people feel comfortable dreaming big, too, aspiring for really big things and trying to understand what’s possible. Then we can provide the right resources so we can get there and hold ourselves accountable to those dreams.”
PHOTO BY JORDAN PORTER-WOODRUFF
Africa’s hidden urban divide
Using infrastructure data, detailed maps to identify economic, health gaps
BY MATT WOOD
Researchers at the University of Chicago have completed a groundbreaking study mapping over 415 million buildings across sub-Saharan Africa, revealing how gaps in infrastructure impact quality of life.
Published in September in Nature, the study provides unprecedented insight into where vital services like streets, sanitation and water access are lacking down to the individual block.
“When you look at developed cities you see something universal: Every building has street access, no matter if your city is a grid like Chicago or curvy like Rome,” said Luis Bettencourt, PhD, the study’s leader and a Professor of Ecology and Evolution. “These connections give people access to water, sanitation and garbage disposal, and an address to register for school or where the fire department can find them in an emergency.”
But in many rapidly growing cities, especially informal settlements, such connectivity is absent.
Millions of people lack basic infrastructure, which can severely limit opportunities for health, education and economic growth.
The divides “lead to a range of problems for residents, holding back their development and that of their cities,” Bettencourt said. “This paper shows how we can measure and then begin to address those deficits for each household in every building, anywhere in the world.”
Data-driven examination
Globally, about 1.12 billion people live in informal settlements without consistent access to clean water, roads or waste disposal. Recognizing this, the United Nations included slum eradication in its 2015 Sustainable Development Goals.
To help localize and address this challenge, Bettencourt’s team collaborated with Nicholas Marchio, MS, a research data scientist at UChicago’s Urban Science Lab, to develop a hyperlocal
Density without easy access to streets can complicate many elements tied to public health.
Shortly after earning his medical degree, David Silverstein, MD’67, landed in Nairobi, Kenya, with plans for a brief stint. Fifty years later, he’s still there and he recently published a book, Heartbeat: An American Cardiologist in Kenya, vividly detailing his life and work.
Pritzker alum’s memoir details adventures in Africa
What about Kenya captured your heart?
Kenya is gorgeous, and the people are warm and wonderful. I didn’t want to leave after my initial three-year contract, so I renewed it. I began as a cardiologist in Nairobi, when I was asked to set up a catheterization lab there. But I also got into internal medicine and other specialties, simply because I found it all so exciting and there was a need for it.
How did you go about writing the book?
I started on it in the 1980s, and I worked with different co-authors until I found the right one. I had so many stories to tell: I got to travel the world as the private physician of President Daniel arap Moi. He always invited me to have dinner with heads of state and ministers of various ranks, and I would hear all the political discussions. I was a fly on the wall. It was fascinating.
What do you remember about being the president’s doctor?
One time, in Hong Kong, a member of his entourage came down with malaria. I administered a new medicine we had received; President Moi said to treat him with Kenya’s
approach. They integrated high-resolution maps with street data, census records and demographics, creating an interactive tool: the Million Neighborhoods Africa map.
The map allows users to zoom in on any city in sub-Saharan Africa from Lagos to Nairobi and view infrastructure access at the block level. It shows how many people live in each area, which buildings are connected to streets and which are not.
A central innovation of the study is a metric called block complexity, or “k complexity.” It measures how many buildings one must pass to get from the most distant building in a block to the nearest street. In well-planned cities, this number is usually low one or two. But in informal settlements, that number can soar. Across sub-Saharan Africa, the average complexity is eight, which can complicate trash collection, emergency response and public health efforts.
“This research provides the first comprehensive dataset of population and development indicators for all street blocks in sub-Saharan Africa, alongside open-source tools to extend the data globally in a standardized and comparable manner,” Marchio said.
traditional millet porridge. When the man recovered, the president said it was the porridge that cured him. I also had an exciting moment where I treated Nelson Mandela while he was on a state visit.
Are there other patient stories that stand out?
When I first came here, I knew nothing about tropical medicine. I took care of an American on safari who had been bitten by a tsetse fly, and he turned out to have sleeping sickness. I’ve treated many cases of tetanus and hemorrhagic fevers. I also developed an international practice, with patients flying in to see me from all parts of Africa.
You’re now 81. What’s next?
I’m going to retire soon and spend more time on my farm. We have zebras and giraffes and all kinds of animals. I’d like to travel the world with my wife. My four sons all live in America, and I have two grandchildren there, so we want to visit them more. But I’ll never retire fully. And I’ll spend more time in the charity clinic; it’s in my blood to help people.
Emily Ayshford
Block by block
The team analyzed how block complexity relates to 67 social and economic indicators, including literacy, maternal health and housing quality. They found that more disconnected neighborhoods consistently scored lower across the board.
Surprisingly, the data also revealed neglected pockets of need within otherwise well-developed cities. According to Bettencourt, real progress requires more than just physical infrastructure it requires integrating these areas into the broader fabric of city life.
The study was funded in part by the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation and the Susan and Richard Kiphart Center for Global Health and Social Development at UChicago.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Lusaka, Zambia
Neighborhood complexity
Investing in the brain
Stahl Professorships advance neurosciences at UChicago
BY SARAH SARGENT
When Stephen Stahl, MD, PhD’76, returned to the University of Chicago in 2024, he spotted something familiar among a collection of hardbound dissertations: his own. The moment sparked reflection on the place that launched his career and ultimately inspired a remarkable act of philanthropy.
Alongside his wife, Shakila, Stahl is funding three endowed professorships in neurosciences at UChicago. The gift is matched by the Wallman Challenge, amplifying its impact and supporting groundbreaking work in neurobiology, neurosurgery and psychiatry.
“It was an exciting time,” said Stahl, recalling his graduate years. “The role of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin in psychiatric disorders and the actions of psychotropic, or mind-altering, drugs was just being discovered. I had the sense that I was at the place where things in the field were really happening.”
Now an internationally respected psychiatrist with more than 600 scientific publications and over 70 textbooks, Stahl returned to campus with a clear vision. “I wanted to do anything I could to enhance the neurosciences at University of Chicago,” he said.
Working with Mark Anderson, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine, the Stahls crafted a plan to fund three professorships an enduring legacy of support for research and innovation.
The couple sees neuroscience as central to the future of healthcare. “Putting together great minds, basic science and the clinical sciences creates the ideal environment and incubator for translating the explosive recent advances in neurosciences into solving the massive unmet needs in neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, addiction and related fields,” Stephen Stahl said.
“Neuroscience is really at the forefront of the mental health revolution that we’re experiencing in healthcare today,” Shakila Stahl said. “As we incorporate insights from research into daily practice and healthcare management, we can see clinical work translating into tangible outcomes.”
The first two Stahl Professorships have already been awarded.
David Freedman, PhD, Chair of the Department of Neurobiology, became the inaugural Stahl Professor of Neurobiology in the Wallman Society of Fellows. His research explores brain mechanisms for visual learning and decision-making, leveraging machine learning and computational modeling.
“Neuroscience is one of the most exciting and fastest-growing research fields,” Freedman said. “I’m so grateful for this outstanding support from Stephen and Shakila Stahl. It is particularly gratifying that this gift comes from a scholar and alum from our program and highlights the impact faculty can have in our roles as mentors to our trainees and students.”
Mohamad Bydon, MD, the first Chair of the new Department of Neurological Surgery, received the second Stahl Professorship. A pioneer in robotic and minimally invasive spine surgery, Bydon has led first-in-human trials for regenerative treatments in spinal cord injury.
“Neurosurgery is more than a profession it’s a calling to bring hope, healing and a brighter future to those in need through innovation and compassionate care,” Bydon said. “It’s an honor to be the Stahl Professor of Neuroscience in the Wallman Society of Fellows.”
For the Stahls, the goal is both personal and future-facing. “This is one of the greatest frontiers in all of science,” Stephen Stahl said. “I only wish I were a graduate student today at the University of Chicago and could do it all over again.”
“It’s so fun and rewarding as a donor to see your money go to work right away,” he added.
Stahl and David Freedman, PhD, the inaugural Stahl Professor of Neurobiology in the Wallman Society of Fellows.
Stephen Stahl, MD, PhD’65, and Shakila Stahl.
Perfect pairing
Mentorship-focused GROW Program centered on on career exploration, community
BY KAT CARLTON
Artria Irving, MBA, wears many hats. As a research coordinator in the University of Chicago’s Department of Family Medicine, she juggles scheduling, finances, study-application reviews and many other daily tasks.
But it’s UChicago’s GROW Program that helped Irving discover what she loves about her work.
The program whose name is short for Guiding Research Professionals in the University of Chicago Workforce pairs clinical research staff with seasoned mentors to explore career pathways, build community and confidence, and grow their knowledge of educational resources.
“The conversations I had with my mentor really helped push me to figure out not only which parts of my job I excel at, but also which parts I enjoy doing the most,” said Irving, who has worked for UChicago for nearly three years.
Growing together
Now in its third year, the GROW Program was developed with a leadership and mentorship framework created by the Joint Task Force for Clinical Trial Competency, a multidisciplinary, international group of experts.
Irving joined the program’s August 2024 cohort and was matched with Jacqueline Ansted, a clinical trial monitor at the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center.
During their sessions, Irving gained a key insight: Careers in research are rarely linear and that’s a good thing.
“I learned that I can work on diverse projects, earn credentials through organizations like the Association of Clinical Research Professionals, and still grow professionally,” Irving said.
The program also aims to help combat the isolation often experienced in research roles.
“Clinical research professionals can end up in silos,” said Justin Bell, Director of Clinical Research Operations at UChicago’s Office of Clinical Research. “GROW is designed to give them a broader view of what’s possible.”
Each mentor typically works with two to four mentees. In addition to one-on-one meetings, the GROW Program includes group sessions where mentees can share ideas, network and explore university resources.
Two-way exchange
Many mentors have been involved since the start, including Anuradha Bangaley, MSGH, CCRP, a regulatory affairs manager and a member of UChicago’s Professional Development Certificates Student Advisory Board.
“I love emphasizing communication and sharing what I’ve learned,” said Bangaley, who recently picked up a new skill from one of her mentees: grant writing. (“One day I just asked, ‘Can you show me how you write proposals?’ It became a great exchange of knowledge,” she said.)
The program is managed by Nicole Masen, Lead Education Specialist in the Office of Clinical Research. Its success, she said, stems from the quality and commitment of participants.
“They really put in the effort with one another,” Masen said. “Many continue their relationships well after the program ends.”
“Clinical research professionals can end up in silos. GROW is designed to give them a broader view of what’s possible.”
Justin Bell, Director of Clinical Research Operations, Office of Clinical Research
Artria Irving, MBA, left, and Jacqueline Ansted
PHOTO BY JORDAN
Access for everyone
In her new role, Hedy Lee Kindler, MD, is working to expand and accelerate clinical
trials
BY JANE KOLLMER
On most mornings, Hedy Lee Kindler, MD, walks into the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center and goes straight to work checking in with patients, drafting manuscripts, analyzing data, reviewing protocols and fielding inquiries from research collaborators around the world.
Kindler, one of the world’s leading authorities on mesothelioma, is the Director of the Center’s Multidisciplinary Mesothelioma Program. Her research is focused on designing cutting-edge clinical trials for patients with mesothelioma and pancreatic cancer.
Cancer, regardless of type, is a difficult disease to treat due to its complexity and adaptability, Kindler knows. Because of this, some treatments don’t work at all, and many others that were once effective will eventually stop working.
It’s a puzzle that has motivated Kindler to spend 25 years finding ways to tackle mesothelioma
and other cancers and to lead national and international clinical trials, including practicechanging studies that resulted in FDA approval of new drugs.
With each victory comes a reminder: There’s much more out there to discover.
“If we can offer patients multiple options along the trajectory of their cancer, we have a better chance of being able to control the disease and help provide an improvement in both quality and length of life,” said Kindler, who in March was named Associate Dean for Clinical Science Research, Human Subjects, in the University’s Biological Sciences Division (BSD).
“Clinical trials of new treatments not only provide new options, but they also provide hope.”
‘Dramatic’ response
As a junior faculty member, Kindler saw a major breakthrough firsthand in 2003 while working with her mentor, the late Nicholas Vogelzang, MD, an internationally recognized oncologist and the Cancer Center’s former director.
Vogelzang found that a combination of two chemotherapy drugs increased survival and improved outcomes in patients with pleural mesothelioma. That treatment regimen became the new standard of care at that time.
Since then, Kindler and many other UChicago researchers have tested a wide range of novel therapies via clinical trials: immune checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cells, bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates and targeted therapies, among many other approaches.
“Over the years, we’ve seen how clinical research can really transform a disease with poor outcomes to one that is treatable and manageable,” said Kindler, who is also a Professor of Medicine in the Section of Hematology/Oncology.
“Some of the mesothelioma patients who participated in our earliest trials of immunotherapy a decade ago, for example, have had dramatic and durable responses to treatment and are now leading normal lives.”
PHOTO BY NANCY WONG
Hedy Lee Kindler, MD, has been named Associate Dean for Clinical Research, Human Subjects, in the Biological Sciences Division.
Her clinic sees people from across the country, and often the world, seeking more options than they would be able to get anywhere else.
“We were seeing maybe 10 mesothelioma patients a year when I started,” Kindler said. “Now, we see more than 120 new patients annually and have hundreds of patients in follow-up. That’s quite remarkable for such a rare disease.’”
Research-driven career
In her new job with the BSD, Kindler is a strategic leader for the Office of the Dean to ensure collaboration among research leaders in clinical departments and at the Pritzker School of Medicine, as well as the University of Chicago Health System and its partners.
This involves working with the Office of Clinical Research to ensure infrastructure and processes are compliant, high-quality and efficient objectives that are second nature to Kindler.
“I understand clinical trials from the perspective of the investigator and draw from my experience in the cancer realm, where clinical research is just part of our DNA,” she said.
For many years, Kindler headed the Cancer Center’s Protocol Review and Monitoring System, which ensures trials are scientifically sound and ethically reviewed before they launch. She also led the gastrointestinal oncology program and spent five years as Associate Vice Chair for Clinical Research in the Department of Medicine.
She is also the principal investigator for a grant that supports the infrastructure to conduct national clinical trials through the National Cancer Institute’s National Clinical Trials Network. Kindler has authored more than 230 publications in peer-reviewed journals, and she lectures widely around the world.
“I’m really excited about this new role because it brings together all of the skills that I’ve developed from all of the different aspects that I’ve done in clinical research, but it allows me to look at things from the 50,000-foot view,” Kindler said.
Quicker and closer trials
Kindler’s next goal is to help potentially lifesaving clinical trials launch more quickly.
Countless regulatory processes are in place to protect clinical trial participants, and more complex efforts demand a longer runway.
Although there’s room for greater efficiency in the process, Kindler said, no shortcuts are ever taken.
“The patient has to be our most important concern,” she said. “We have to make sure that we are providing a safe environment, that the data is accurate, that we are not ever doing harm and that we are doing this for the patient’s benefit.”
Her other priority is to make clinical trials more accessible outside of Chicago’s city center. This includes expanding access for patients at UChicago Medicine facilities in Orland Park and Crown Point, Indiana as well as partnerships with Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, Illinois, and AdventHealth’s Great Lakes Region, which includes four Illinois hospitals.
So far, those locations are seeing a strong response from interested participants. “When people think clinical trials, they think University of Chicago that’s our goal,” Kindler said.
Such growth requires investments in training, hiring and developing systems to support the work outside of academic centers. Kindler is candid about the challenges that lie ahead, namely proposed cuts to federal funding, but she knows that slowing her momentum isn’t an option.
“The only way that we’re going to advance clinical care is to be able to evaluate new drugs and new devices in patients and show scientifically that they actually work and not just that we hope they work,” she said.
By the numbers
Cancer research makes up 60% of UChicago’s clinical trial portfolio. 60%
4,679 clinical research studies
854 investigators
78,000+
patients engaged in research
400+ clinical research staff
From molecule to medicine
Hening Lin, PhD, is on a mission to translate discovery into therapy
BY MATT WOOD
If you’ve read enough science stories, this line might sound familiar: “Researchers hope this discovery will one day lead to new treatments.”
It’s a hopeful refrain but one that often leaves out what comes next.
After all, most scientists who uncover the genes or proteins behind disease aren’t the ones who turn them into drugs. That requires a different skill set, and a rare kind of researcher who can straddle both worlds.
Hening Lin, PhD, is one of them.
Lin, the James and Karen Frank Family Professor of Medicine and Professor of Chemistry at the University of Chicago, has made a name for himself in the dynamic field of chemical biology where chemistry, molecular biology and medicine intersect.
For Lin, it’s not just about understanding biology; it’s about changing it, with the goal of developing therapeutics that can one day change lives.
Collaborative vision
The view from Lin’s new office in the Knapp Center for Biomedical Discovery symbolizes that vision: UChicago Medicine’s Center for Care and Discovery hospital building on one side and the
construction site of the new AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion on the other.
“If you look at the top 20 institutions in the country, how many have a top-ranked cancer program and a highly ranked medical school that are right next to each other? And then have a chemistry department within five minutes’ walking distance?” said Lin, who joined UChicago last summer after nearly two decades at Cornell University.
“That’s why I really wanted to come here, to utilize that and promote translational research not just in my own lab, but the whole campus.”
Lin’s journey started in a rural village in China’s Shandong Province, where school science competitions first sparked his curiosity. That led him to study chemistry at Tsinghua University and later to a PhD at Columbia University, where Virginia Cornish, PhD, a trailblazer in chemical biology, was his adviser.
Completing a postdoc at Harvard Medical School solidified his path, as he shifted his focus from bacterial enzymes to human biology. At Harvard, Lin worked with Christopher Walsh, PhD, another pioneering scientist who studied enzymes special proteins that speed up chemical reactions and was intrigued by the intricate roles they play in the human body.
Small molecules, big results
Lin compares the human genome to a dictionary. It provides the vocabulary, but to write a novel, you still need to connect words together and form sentences and paragraphs.
“That’s where regulatory mechanisms come in,” he said. “They are the grammar of biology. You need to know how those work to really be able to understand biology and what goes wrong in human diseases.”
Some regulatory mechanisms, known as epigenetic modifications, act like “on/off” switches for genes when certain molecules are attached to a gene. Others may change the way a protein works under certain conditions.
In his lab, Lin studies three types of mechanisms: how proteins are modified by chemical tags,
PHOTO BY NANCY WONG
Toothache from cold food? Blame ancient fish
That sharp jolt of pain when you eat ice cream may have ancient roots. A new study from the University of Chicago, published in Nature, suggests tooth sensitivity originally evolved not for chewing but for sensing the environment.
Ancient vertebrate fish (top row), ancient arthropods (middle) and modern-day arthropods (bottom) all had convergent structures on their exoskeletons connected to nerves that allow the animals to sense their environment.
Researchers found that dentine, the sensitive inner layer of teeth, first appeared in the armored exoskeletons of fish over 465 million years ago. In the dangerous Ordovician seas, early vertebrates used sensory bumps in their armor to detect environmental changes.
“This was a pretty intense predatory environment, and being able to sense the properties of the water around them would have been very important,” said Neil Shubin, PhD, the Robert R. Bensley Distinguished Service Professor at UChicago and senior author of the study.
how they interact with each other and how small molecules can tweak their behavior.
His team made a breakthrough studying a family of enzymes called sirtuins, which are involved in processes related to aging, metabolism, stress resistance and inflammation. At Cornell, Lin discovered that some sirtuins have entirely different roles, and that shutting down specific ones could have powerful effects on inflammation and cancer.
Core facility underway
This progression of research shows how to build the bridge from basic discoveries to clinical medicine.
“Finding that those enzymes can remove previously unknown modifications was unexpected,” Lin said. “That’s what makes you really excited about
Yara Haridy, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher in Shubin’s lab, led the fossil analysis using a particle accelerator at Argonne National Laboratory.
One key specimen, Anatolepis, appeared to contain dentine, hinting it could be the earliest vertebrate toothlike tissue. But comparisons with known fossil arthropods showed the structures resembled sensilla sensory organs in the exoskeletons of animals like crabs suggesting Anatolepis was likely an invertebrate as well.
Still, both ancient fish and arthropods independently evolved similar sensory features, a case of convergent evolution. Even modern sharks and catfish have nervelinked, denticle-covered skin resembling tooth tissue.
The findings support the “outside-in” theory: Sensitive structures began on external armor, later evolving into internal teeth. While the origin of vertebrate teeth remains uncertain, the study reveals deep evolutionary ties between sensation, armor and the humble tooth.
doing discovery research. Once you understand what’s going on, it’s not only satisfying, but it allows you to predict things about what kind of human disease you can treat.”
At UChicago, Lin has big plans. He’s launching a core facility for chemical biology and therapeutics to help other scientists design and test small molecules that can control biological targets. What typically takes years, he wants to cut down to months.
“The goal is to promote collaboration among clinical scientists, biologists, chemists and engineers who can come together for translational research,” he said.
And that oft-repeated line about “new treatments”? Thanks to scientists like Lin, it’s getting a little closer to reality.
ILLUSTRATION BY ALEX BOERSMA
ILLUSTRATION BY BRIAN ENGH, LIVING RELIC PRODUCTIONS
Liquid biopsy breakthrough
New test uses RNA modifications to detect early-stage colorectal cancer with 95% accuracy
BY MATT WOOD
Liquid biopsies are blood tests that detect cancer by analyzing genetic fragments shed by tumors. Unlike traditional tissue biopsies, these noninvasive tests typically look for mutations in DNA fragments called circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA).
While promising, traditional liquid biopsies often lack sensitivity in early cancer detection because tumor cells release little cfDNA during initial stages. Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed a more sensitive liquid biopsy that analyzes RNA instead of DNA, significantly improving early cancer detection. In a study using blood samples from colorectal cancer patients, their new test detected early-stage disease with 95% accuracy, surpassing current noninvasive tests.
Challenges to early diagnosis
As tumors grow, some cells die and release genetic material into the bloodstream. Most liquid biopsies search for cfDNA, but early in cancer development, tumor cells are still proliferating, so little DNA is released.
“That has been a major challenge for early diagnosis,” said Chuan He, PhD, the John T. Wilson Distinguished Service Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UChicago, and senior author of the study published in Nature Biotechnology. “So, we decided to look at RNA instead.”
RNA serves as a working copy of DNA instructions, actively producing proteins. Its presence reflects cellular activity, making it a useful marker. However, total RNA levels can vary depending on sample preparation, making measurements unreliable.
He’s lab specializes in RNA modifications chemical changes to RNA that alter its function. These modifications remain consistent as percentages, regardless of RNA quantity.
For example, if 30% of a certain RNA is modified, that proportion remains the same whether measured in 100 or 1,000 molecules. This stability makes RNA modifications a more dependable biomarker.
New insights from RNA
Graduate student Cheng-Wei Ju and former postdoctoral fellow Li-Sheng Zhang, PhD’19, began exploring circulating cell-free RNA (cfRNA) for cancer detection. Instead of simply measuring RNA levels, the researchers focused on detecting modification patterns in cfRNA.
Working with samples from colorectal cancer patients provided by Marc Bissonnette, MD’75, Associate Professor of Medicine, the team found that not only could they detect human cfRNA, but also RNA from gut microbes. These bacteria, part of the body’s microbiome, showed distinct RNA modification patterns in cancer patients.
Past research in plants showed that organisms make more RNA modifications when they're more metabolically active. The team observed the same in both human and microbial RNA in colorectal cancer samples.
“We found that RNA released from microbes has substantial differences between cancer patients and healthy individuals,” He said.
Why the microbiome matters
Microbial cells in the gut turn over much faster than human cells, constantly releasing genetic material. Their behavior shifts in response to tumors and inflammation, providing early signals of cancer. This allows microbial RNA modification patterns to act as early warning signs even before human tumor cells shed detectable DNA.
Most commercial tests using DNA or RNA from stool are only about 90% accurate in advanced stages and drop below 50% in early detection. In contrast, UChicago’s RNA modification-based test showed nearly 95% accuracy across all stages, including the earliest ones.
“This is the first time RNA modifications have been used as a potential biomarker for cancer,” said He, who is now working with UChicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation to commercialize the test. “Being able to detect cancer at those early stages is unprecedented.”
Can diet really heal the gut?
It has long been said that food is medicine, but new research from the University of Chicago adds weight to the idea especially when it comes to gut health after taking antibiotics.
In a recent Nature study, scientists explored how different diets influence the gut microbiome’s ability to bounce back after antibiotic treatment, which can wipe out entire communities of both good and bad bacteria.
Mice that were fed a Western-style diet (high in processed foods, fat and sugar and low in fiber) had a much harder time rebuilding a diverse, healthy gut microbiome after antibiotics and they were more prone to infections like salmonella.
On the other hand, the ones fed a high-fiber, Mediterranean-inspired diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables experienced a faster, fuller recovery.
“We were really surprised by how dramatically different the recovery process was,” said Megan Kennedy, a second-year student in the Pritzker School of Medicine’s Medical Scientist Training Program and lead author of the Nature study.
Eugene B. Chang, MD, Martin Boyer Professor of Medicine at UChicago, a senior author on the study and one of Kennedy’s PhD advisers, likened the gut after antibiotics to a forest after a wildfire.
“You need the right conditions for regrowth,” Chang said. “If you don’t nourish the soil, the forest can't return.”
Which is why Chang and the team also looked at fecal microbiota transplants that are often used to restore gut health. But for mice on a Western diet, the transplanted microbes lacked the conditions necessary to thrive.
“If the mice are on the wrong diet, the microbes don’t stick, the community
BY MATT WOOD
doesn’t diversify, and it doesn’t recover,” Kennedy said, noting that diverse sources of plant fiber and low-fat foods are essential.
Further analysis by Christopher Henry, PhD, a computational biologist at Argonne National Laboratory, and his group showed that the Mediterranean-inspired diet promotes networks of metabolites that set the stage for microbes to rebuild a healthy ecosystem.
The findings suggest that targeted nutrition may become a key part of care.
Kennedy said people may consider adding more healthy foods to their diet to prepare for an upcoming surgery when they know they’ll be taking antibiotics. And Chang is working on an approach where patients could take custom supplements to bolster their gut health, even if they don’t drastically change their diet.
Fruits and vegetables: Nature’s sleep aid
Want to sleep better? Hit the farmers market.
Eating more fruits and vegetables during the day may significantly improve sleep that same night.
New research from the University of Chicago Medicine and Columbia University followed healthy young adults who tracked their food intake and wore wrist monitors to measure sleep particularly “sleep fragmentation,” or how often they woke up or shifted sleep stages.
The findings, published in Sleep Health, revealed that participants who ate more fruits, vegetables and whole grains had deeper, more restful sleep. In fact, those who
met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation of five cups of fruits and vegetables per day experienced a 16% improvement in sleep quality compared to those who ate none.
While past research linked poor sleep to unhealthy eating, this study is among the first to show a same-day impact of diet on sleep. “It’s remarkable that such a meaningful change could be observed within less than 24 hours,” said Esra Tasali, MD, Director of the UChicago Sleep Center and the study’s co-author.
Grace Niewijk
Aim for five cups of fruits and vegetables per day.
Training confident clinicians
Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education.
During its first week, the course will bring together all fourth-year students to learn best practices for common responsibilities. That includes specific scenarios, like how to deliver bad news to patients, but also everyday situations, such as answering pages, effective note writing, discharge planning and informed consent.
Part of the new Phoenix Curriculum, a Transition to Residency course will teach skills residents will need on day one
BY EMILY AYSHFORD
When medical students graduate and start their residencies at hospitals across the country, they are quickly launched from learners to practitioners.
The pivot can be exciting and scary. Not only do residents take care of patients, they’re also part of collaborative care teams and handle a range of interpersonal duties.
“For people who went right into medical school from college, residency is their first real job,” said Phillip LoSavio, MD, a Professor of Surgery at the Pritzker School of Medicine. “It can be daunting to suddenly have all these time demands on you.”
It’s why Pritzker teams have developed a new boot camp teaching critical skills to guide residents’ first 90 days on the job. Starting in 2027, students will complete the Transition to Residency course in their final three weeks before graduation.
“We want to help them keep the momentum going when they take these big next steps so they can be prepared
for a successful professional career,” said LoSavio, who also directs Phase 3 within Pritzker’s Phoenix Curriculum the medical school’s most significant update in 15 years.
Ready on day one
The curriculum, launched in 2024, is a revised educational framework designed to empower Pritzker students to serve as patient advocates and incorporate self-directed learning, research, clinical experience and community engagement.
During the final 14 months, a period known as Phase 3, students receive education to help them shift to the next stage of their career. The phase includes clinical electives and independent studies, and it concludes with the Transition to Residency course.
It reflects a growing momentum for specialized prep work. “Across the country, there has been a movement in medical schools toward training students to be ready for residency on day one,” said Jeanne Farnan, AB’98, MD’02, MHPE,
“A lot of being an effective intern is common to many other jobs outside of medicine,” LoSavio said. “They need to be a team member, to handle multiple responsibilities and even learn how to understand their benefits from their employer.”
New
gold standard
After the first week, students will split into four tracks, based on their specialties Medicine, Surgery, OB-GYN, and Pediatrics to focus on competencies for their fields. Within their specialties, students will take full advantage of the UChicago Medicine Simulation Center, which offers state-of-the-art mannequins and clinical systems that mirror actual care environments.
The course will also include a module for students interested in pursuing academic careers.
Compared to coursework offered by peer institutions, Pritzker’s transition course is unique for its length and for bringing specialties together first to interact with each other, as well as for its focus on teaching future residents to prioritize their health and wellness during training.
“While there are other courses like this across the country, there is currently no gold standard,” Farnan said. “We want our course to be successful, but we also want to make scholarly work and share our findings with the medical education community.”
The course may also provide a reputational boost with long-term benefit. “I want program directors to be able to say that University of Chicago students are outstanding and ready to go to take care of patients,” LoSavio said.
Meet Priya, the ‘Healthy Hero’
Pritzker M4s self-publish children’s book for South Asian families
BY TYLER LOCKMAN
Two years ago, Prachi Shah and Sharanya Thodupunoori learned that South Asians have a significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
“Neither of us knew that,” Shah said. “And we found that to be pretty shocking.”
The two friends now fourth-year students at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine wanted to spread the word. They co-wrote and self-published a children’s book, Priya, Healthy Hero, in February 2024 to educate South Asian families about heart health through culturally relatable storytelling.
The story follows Priya, a young South Asian girl who helps her immigrant family adopt healthier habits while staying true to their traditions.
Shah, who illustrated the book, and Thodupunoori drew on their upbringings and experiences volunteering at the SEVA Free Clinic, which serves underserved South Asian populations in Chicago.
The co-authors were also inspired by a Pritzker health
equity course and their work with the school’s South Asian Medical Student Association, which brought in a lecturer to discuss MASALA (Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America) a multicenter study confirming elevated heart disease risk factors, such as diabetes and hypertension.
The book’s goal: to show that health and culture can coexist.
“Growing up, I remember my parents being like, ‘I can’t believe people spend so much money going to the gym’ or ‘Who has time for all this?’ and things like that,” Shah said. “Something we try to emphasize in our story is just that being healthy and having healthy habits in your day-to-day life is something that’s accessible to everyone.”
With support from UChicago faculty mentors, Shah and Thodupunoori spent months developing their story, creating characters and learning how to self-publish. And they were intentional in choosing Priya’s name and appearance.
“We didn’t see many brown characters in books growing up,” Thodupunoori said. “We wanted this to feel relatable.”
Seeing Priya, Healthy Hero come to life has brought the journey full circle.
“We’ve gotten stories and pictures back of our cousins reading this book to their kids,” Shah said. “Seeing pictures of it actually being shared in families is really exciting and so gratifying.”
Priyaalsostartedtaking traditional Indian dance classes,andlovedtoteach learnedherfamilywhatshe ondayswhenitwastoorainytowalk.
Meet Priya.
She’s 9 and lives in California with the rest of the Kumar family.
Prachi Shah, left, and Sharanya Thodupunoori released their book last year.
More than a coat
Pritzker welcomes new class with ceremony, symbolic ‘uniform’
“ Do not let the luster of this moment fade with the luster of your uniform.”
Kenneth Wilson, MD Professor of Surgery
Pritzker School of Medicine
The Pritzker School of Medicine welcomed 92 new students at Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, marking an important moment in the journey to a career in medicine.
The White Coat Ceremony, an event founded at the University of Chicago in 1989, has since
expanded widely to other medical schools across the country. The 37th Pritzker ceremony, held in August, saw pews full of family and friends gathered to celebrate the entering Class of 2025.
In a keynote address, Kenneth Wilson, MD, Professor of Surgery, encouraged the new Pritzker students to wear their coats with pride and as a symbol of the hard work that led to this point.
Wilson, a colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, drew parallels between his military service including tours in Africa and the Middle East and his experience treating victims of gun violence on the South Side, imploring students to remember what their white coat represents.
“Wear it as a uniform,” Wilson said. “Today, it is pressed, it is clean. It’s not tie-dyed; it’s not stained with coffee. Do not let the luster of this moment fade with the luster of your uniform.
“Let it be a reflection of your professionalism.”
PHOTOS BY JASON SMITH
The first White Coat Ceremony was led by Norma Wagoner, PhD, then Pritzker’s Dean of Students, and the late Holly J. Humphrey, MD’83, MACP, then Pritzker’s Dean for Medical Education. The tradition was adopted and formalized by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, which supports similar events at medical and nursing schools around the world.
After receiving their first white coats from faculty career advisers, the students, together with physicians in attendance, recited the Physician’s Oath, a modified and modernized Hippocratic Oath in which doctors-to-be pledge to “do no harm” but also to be unbiased, socially minded collaborators who never view their patients as “anything but a fellow human in pain.”
From left: Margaret Mushi, Esther Lee, Tanaya Kollipara and Ibrahim Khalil
Pritzker students honored for pediatric advocacy
The Pritzker School of Medicine Pediatrics Interest Group (PInG) has received the 2025 Pediatric Interest Group of the Year Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The honor, presented in September during the academy’s national conference in Denver, recognizes excellence in programming and advocacy.
Recently, PInG expanded efforts in mentorship and collaboration, including a trip to Springfield with the Illinois AAP. Students met with lawmakers about vaccine access, firearm storage requirements and funding for childhood health.
PInG has also hosted pediatric resuscitation simulations to provide a pre-clerkship opportunity for first- and second-year students, and it launched PInG@Home, a yearlong mentorship dinner series at the homes of various pediatric faculty members.
“We are so proud to see their hard work recognized with this award, and we’re even prouder of the incredible work they are doing to promote interest in pediatrics and to have a tangible impact on the pediatric population of the South Side and across the state,” said Associate Professor of Pediatrics Poj Lysouvakon, MD, one of the group’s four advisers.
MD students
10
MD/PhD students
22 states represented
56 undergraduate institutions represented
7,738 size of applicant pool (629 interviewed)
3.2% acceptance rate
519 median MCAT score (96th percentile)
Muwafaq Ibrahim
Good company and memories
From left: Jeanne Farnan, AB’98, MD’02, MHPE, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education and Professor of Medicine, and Vineet Arora, MD, AM’03, Dean for Medical Education, share remarks during the Pritzker Alumni Weekend Welcome Breakfast.
See more photos at bit.ly/2025PAW
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
PHOTO BY JASON SMITH
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
PHOTO BY JASON SMITH
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
Balloons outside Pritzker Alumni Weekend HQ welcome visitors to campus.
Alumni from the Class of 1975 pose with pride at their 50th Reunion Class Dinner.
Pritzker alumni show off their UChicago pride at the Welcome Breakfast.
Class of 1975 alumni enjoy bonding time at the Welcome Breakfast.
Members of the Pritzker Class of 2000 reminisce at their 25th Reunion Class Dinner.
Members of the Class of 1975 raise a glass in celebration of their 50th Reunion.
Fellow 1995 classmates catch up at their 30th Reunion Class Dinner.
PHOTO BY JASON SMITH
PHOTO BY JASON SMITH
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
Alumni from the Class of 2000 are all smiles at their 25th Reunion Dinner.
Class of 2005 alumni reconnect at their 20th Reunion Class Dinner.
Class of 1985 alumni gather for a photo at the Welcome Breakfast.
Members of the Class of 1990 share excitement at their 35th Reunion Dinner.
Milestone classes reunited
PHOTO BY JASON SMITH
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
PHOTO BY JASON SMITH
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
2025 UChicago MBSAA Awards
The 2025 UChicago MBSAA Award recipients, with alumni leaders, from left: Courtney Burrows, PhD’15, MBA’17; Douglass B. Given, PhD’79, MD’80; Abigail S. Cutler, MD’13, MPH; W. Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, MMHC; Irene Aguilar, MD’85; Mark A. Krasnow, PhD’83, MD’85; and Karyl Kopaskie, AB’07, PhD’14. (Not pictured: Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD’04, MPH)
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS
Irene Aguilar, MD’85
Former Senator, Colorado General Assembly
Aguilar, a Chicago native and physician, moved to Denver in 1985 for residency and spent 23 years at Denver Health. Motivated by her daughter’s disability, she entered public service, later serving in the Colorado Senate (2010-18) to champion healthcare reform. Post-legislature, she directed Denver’s Neighborhood Equity and Stabilization Program.
Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, MD’04, MPH
Immediate Past President, American Medical Association
A combat veteran and former Navy taskforce co-chair, Ehrenfeld directs the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and he holds adjunct appointments at Vanderbilt University and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Ehrenfeld, an author of more than 275 papers and 22 books, was the AMA’s first openly gay president.
The Distinguished Alumni Award honors the contributions alumni make in medicine and science. The Alumni Service Award recognizes contributions by alumni through philanthropy and volunteer service to UChicago. Learn more about the UChicago MBSAA Awards program at mbsaa.uchicago.edu/ alumni-awards
Mark A. Krasnow, PhD’83, MD’85
Professor, Stanford University, and Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Krasnow is the Paul and Mildred Berg Professor and executive director of the Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease at Stanford University, where he pioneered single-cell approaches to study lung development and disease. A Howard Hughes investigator, Krasnow helped establish the mouse lemur as a model for studying primate biology and disease.
W. Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, MMHC
Former Director, National Cancer Institute
Rathmell became the NCI’s 17th director in late 2023. A kidney cancer expert and former Vanderbilt University Medical Center physician-in-chief, she has received the American Cancer Society’s Medal of Honor, contributed research in over 250 publications and held key roles at the Cancer Genome Atlas. Rathmell completed her internal medicine internship at UChicago.
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD FOR EARLY ACHIEVEMENT
Abigail S. Cutler, MD’13, MPH
Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Cutler, a former journalist, now specializes in obstetrics and benign gynecology with a focus on family planning and contraception. Board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and the subspecialty of complex family planning, she is an expert in complex contraception, abortion care and early pregnancy management.
ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD
Douglass B. Given, PhD’79, MD’80
Managing Partner, Health2047 Capital Partners
Given is a founder and chairman of Vivaldi Biosciences Inc., which develops genetically modified intranasal vaccines for viral respiratory diseases. DeltaFLU, a universal influenza vaccine, is in clinical development, with clinical trials supported by grants from the European Union and the National Institutes of Health. Two studies are set to begin in 2025.
PHOTO BY JOE STERBENC
2025-2026 ALUMNI COUNCIL
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Sapana Vora, PhD’14
President
Karyl Kopaskie, AB’07, PhD’14
Immediate Past President
Sydney Yoon, MD’86
Vice President; Regional Programs Chair
Courtney Burrows, PhD’15, MBA’17 Alumni Awards Committee Chair
Rajiv Jauhar, MD’91
Chicago Partners Program Chair
Jennifer “Piper” Below, PhD’11 Editorial Committee Chair
ALUMNI COUNCIL
Shahriar Alikhani, MD’91
Lampis Anagnostopoulos, SB’57, MD’61 ✱
Allison August, MD’93
Margaret “Peggy” Barron, MD’78
Anita Blanchard, MD’90
Kenneth Bridbord, MD’69, MPH
Ava Ferguson Bryan, AM’10, MD’18 ✤
Arnold Calica, SM’61, MD’75 ✱
Ruth Carlos, AB’89, MD’93
Gabrielle Edgerton, PhD’10
John Ellis, MD'82
Arash Emami, MD’94
Edward Gibbons, MD'78
Katherine Given, AB’08, PhD’13, MBA’16, MD’16
Stanton Greenstone ✤
Anjali Hack, LAB'85, AB'88, AM'90, PhD'99, MD'99
Theresa He, MD’03
Suejin Kim, MD’04
Emily King, PhD'97
Clifford Ko, AB’87, SM’89, MD’91
Peter McCauley, MD’86
Nihal Naccasha, MD'95
Vincent Nelson, MD’98
Carol Olson, PhD’82, MD’86
Aneesha Sahu, PhD’19
Loren Schechter, MD’94
Coleman Seskind, AB’55, SB’56, MD’59, SM’59 ✱
Puneet Singh, MD’11
Ian Smith, MD'97
Anne Taylor, MD’76
Russ Zajtchuk, SB’60, MD’63 ✱ ✱ LIFE MEMBER
✤ STUDENT/RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE
YOUR NEWS
1970s
James Magner, MD’77, recently published the updated second edition of his book Free to Decide: Building a Life in Science and Medicine, which shares anecdotes about attending medical school in the 1970s and the rigorous training that followed. He also reflects on the pleasures and challenges of an academic medicine faculty career followed by 19 years in the pharmaceutical industry.
1980s
Claudia Gold, AB’83, MD’87, published her book, Getting to Know You: Lessons in Early Relational Health from Infants and Caregivers. Through narrative storytelling, she illustrates the principles of early relational health with direct application to daily work with infants and parents.
Si-hoi Lam, AB’76, MD’80, married Nancy Chapman on March 22, 2025, at Yale Battell Chapel in New Haven, Connecticut. He continues to find great satisfaction in his solo medical practice while enjoying good health and a rewarding life.
2000s
Alison Anastasio, SM’05, PhD’09, has assumed a new role as managing consultant in ecology and biodiversity at Ramboll, a global engineering, architecture and consultancy company. Previously, she served as Executive Director and Associate Dean of Students for the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Chicago, where she also held the position of Assistant Instructional Professor in the Program on the Global Environment.
2010s
Jennifer Karlin, AM’09, PhD’12, MD’15, leads a team at the University of California, San Francisco, that recently launched the Reproductive Health Hotline. The confidential, clinician-to-clinician service can be reached at 1-844-ReproHH, or 1-844737-7644. Staffed by UCSF experts in sexual and reproductive health, the free hotline offers real-time, evidence-based clinical information to help providers nationwide reduce unnecessary referrals, avoid overtreatment and improve care and confidence in managing their patients’ reproductive and sexual health.
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UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVE (CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP: APF1-10980, APF1-05845, APF2-03577, APF4-01599), HANNA HOLBORN GRAY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS RESEARCH CENTER, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO LIBRARY
Be a part of
Pritzker’s 100th anniversary exhibit
In celebration of the Pritzker School of Medicine centennial in 2027, the University of Chicago Library’s Special Collections Research Center is curating a commemorative exhibit.
Do you have photos from med school? Class notes, teaching materials or other memorabilia? Help us bring history to life share your ideas and let the exhibit team know what you’d be willing to lend:
tinyurl.com/Pritzker-Centennial-Exhibit
IN MEMORIAM
1950s
Jason Appel, PhB’50, SB’54, MD’54, died on May 23, 2025. Raised in the Hyde Park neighborhood, Appel attended the University of Chicago before serving in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. He established a respected private practice in orthopedic surgery and later continued his public service by serving on the board of directors at Mount Diablo Hospital and as chief of orthopedic surgery at Contra Costa County’s Merrithew Memorial Hospital. In retirement, Appel enjoyed cars, horses, sailing and the fine arts.
Robert Barton, SB’62, PhD’67, MD’67, died on June 11, 2025. After completing his studies at UChicago, Barton completed his residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, followed by a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. He then completed a gastroenterology fellowship at Washington University in St. Louis, and later joined Internal Medicine Associates, where he established the first endoscopy lab at St. Luke’s West. Into the 2020s, he remained connected to the hospital by volunteering as a teacher.
Jack Robertson, MD’55, died on March 9, 2025. His life’s work spanned the continental United States, and it found him serving as a medical director for the Indian Health Service across numerous cities, agencies and clinics. Later in life, he was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. Throughout his career, Robertson dedicated himself to helping marginalized people and communities seek health, justice and dignity.
1960s
Robert Brubaker, PhD’66, died on March 21, 2025. Brubaker earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Delaware before attending medical school at UChicago. An avid “Spartan,” Brubaker spent his career at Michigan State University, where he mentored students with patience and kindness. Beyond being an honored scientist, he enjoyed spending time in nature, with gardening among his greatest joys.
Douglas Lay, PhD’68, died on April 21, 2025. Lay attended Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, followed by Louisiana State University, where he earned a master’s degree in zoology. After receiving his PhD in anatomy at UChicago, he was selected as the mammalogist on a
Former faculty
Field Museum-funded expedition to Iran. Lay’s groundbreaking research revealed that speciation could be determined by the structure of the inner ear, leading to the naming of a species of snow vole, Chionomys layi, in his honor. He was a professor of anatomy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for 25 years, where he brought concepts to life and mentored many students.
Ronald Przybylski, PhD’63, died on April 19, 2025. He spent more than 50 years teaching medical students at Case Western Reserve University. In addition to guiding future healthcare professionals, “Dr. P” published numerous scientific papers that advanced his field. Outside the classroom, he found joy in sailing, gardening and travel. He is remembered by loved ones as a man of intellect, dedication and profound impact.
Kenneth Somers, PhD’69, died on March 22, 2025. Somers spent his research and teaching career at Eastern Virginia Medical School, producing more than 70 research publications and authoring two books on microbiology and infectious disease. He was known for his intelligence, warmth and humor,
qualities reflected in his numerous teaching awards and accolades. A universally admired mentor, he modeled humility and grace through his dedicated service to others.
1970s
David Humphrey, SM’71, MD’71, died on May 16, 2025. Humphrey attended Stanford University before enrolling at UChicago. He worked for many years as a physician and professor at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Outside his professional pursuits, he enjoyed reading, watching video lectures and practicing meditation.
2010s
Ajay Sampat, MD’12, died on March 13, 2025, after a battle with ALS. Sampat joined the faculty at UC Davis in 2018 as an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Neurology, Division of Sleep Medicine. He was deeply committed to medical education through his roles as an academic coach within the School of Medicine and as associate clerkship director for the neurology clerkship. Sampat is remembered by colleagues as someone who taught with humility and authenticity.
Harvey M. Golomb, AB’64, MD
Harvey M. Golomb, AB’64, MD, the Lowell T. Coggeshall Professor and former Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago, died on August 20. He was 82. Golomb was a leading authority on the genetic abnormalities that cause various cancers, as well as on chemotherapy for leukemia, lymphoma and lung cancer. His UChicago career spanned 50 years, starting with his first fellowship in 1973 and continuing until he retired in 2023.
He joined the faculty in 1975 and was appointed Chief of the Section of Hematology/Oncology in 1981. He later served as Chair of the Department of Medicine from 1998 to 2005, recruiting many of the department’s current key leaders. Golomb was also Dean of Clinical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer for UChicago Medicine from 2002 to 2011.
“He was proud to teach medical students and was a mentor to many of us,” Everett Vokes, MD, Chair of the
Department of Medicine, and Sonali Smith, MD, Chief of the Section of Hematology/Oncology, wrote in a joint message to department staff. “His ability to find talent and nurture those on his team is legendary.”
Golomb earned a bachelor’s degree from UChicago in 1964 and then attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He was a leader in initiating earlyphase clinical trials for hairy cell leukemia and lung cancer and was internationally known for his groundbreaking work with cancer genetics pioneer Janet Rowley in identifying genetic subsets of leukemia.
Golomb served as president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology from 1990 to 1991, and he was elected to several prestigious scientific societies, including the American Society for Clinical Investigation. In 2023, he received the Gold Key Award from the UChicago Medical & Biological Sciences Alumni Association, recognizing outstanding and loyal service to the Biological Sciences Division.
Emeritus faculty
Martin J. Lipton, MD
Martin J. Lipton, MD, Professor Emeritus and former Chair of the Department of Radiology at the University of Chicago, died on April 25. He was 89.
Lipton was a distinguished radiologist and educator renowned for his contributions to cardiac imaging and magnetic resonance imaging. Originally from Liverpool, England, he received his medical training at the University of Liverpool, followed by postgraduate training at several London hospitals.
He moved to the United States in 1969 to join the faculty at Stanford University, where he spent eight years before moving to the University of California, San Francisco, in 1977. At UCSF, he was a tenured professor in radiology and medicine, as well as section chief for cardiovascular imaging.
Lipton came to UChicago in 1988 to serve as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Radiology. During his 12-year tenure, he recruited several key faculty members; expanded the residency program; developed fellowships in neuroradiology, interventional radiology
Faculty
and body imaging; and built an active international fellowship program.
After UChicago, he served on the faculty at Harvard Medical School for three years.
Lipton was instrumental in advancing the field of diagnostic imaging. His research focused on areas such as myocardial ischemia quantification and the development of noninvasive imaging techniques for cardiovascular conditions. He received funding from the National Institutes of Health for several projects, including MRI in animal models and quantifying myocardial ischemia with high-speed CT imaging.
“Marty was a name brand in his field, and he left a strong legacy which we have built upon,” said Steven Montner, MD, Professor and current Acting Chair of Radiology at UChicago. “For those of us who remember him, we will miss his leadership and tremendous sense of humor.”
In retirement, Lipton returned to Marin County, California, with his wife, Jacquie.
Roberto M. Lang, MD
Roberto M. Lang, MD, A.J. Carlson Professor of Medicine in the Section of Cardiology at the University of Chicago, died on June 10. He was 73.
Lang was a distinguished cardiologist and pioneering leader in the field of cardiac imaging. His groundbreaking work in the development of three-dimensional transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography revolutionized noninvasive cardiac diagnostics, impacting countless lives worldwide.
A native of Argentina, Lang graduated with Medical Class Honors from the University of Buenos Aires, ranking first in his class of 2,400 students. He completed his internal medicine internship at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and his residency at Tel Aviv University. In 1983, he entered cardiology fellowship training at UChicago and joined the faculty in 1985, beginning over four decades of exemplary service in the Department of Medicine and Section of Cardiology.
Lang held multiple leadership roles at UChicago, including Director of the Cardiac Noninvasive Imaging Laboratory and the Cardiac Imaging Center. He published more than 700 manuscripts, 120 book chapters and 11 books, significantly advancing the field of cardiac imaging.
His contributions earned him numerous accolades, including the Edler Medal, the American Society of Echocardiography Meritorious Service Award and the Gold Medal of the Cuban Society of Echocardiography.
A dedicated mentor, Lang trained and inspired generations of cardiologists, many of whom continue to carry forward his legacy. His commitment to education was recognized with the Arthur Rubenstein Mentorship Award and the Richard Popp Excellence in Teaching Award.
“ [He] saved lives, fostered talent and left the world a better place than it was when he entered it.”
Shirlene Obubi, MD
Assistant Professor, Brown University CSTP trainee and former Cardiology Fellow
Former faculty
Holly J. Humphrey, MD’83, MACP
Holly J. Humphrey, MD’83, MACP, who served for 15 years as the Dean for Medical Education at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, died April 17. She was 68.
in the departments of pathology and medicine and the Biological Sciences Division’s first tenured Black professor. The society hosts lectures to highlight scholarship focused on healthcare in minority communities and provides mentorship opportunities.
In 2015, Humphrey cofounded Pritzker’s Identity and Inclusion Steering Committee, a collaborative effort between students and faculty. She also supported the development of Pritzker’s summer pathway programs that aim to increase access to medical education and STEM fields for students from a range of backgrounds.
Humphrey mentored countless colleagues, residents and medical students, many of whom became leaders at Pritzker, UChicago Medicine and other institutions. She received the Favorite Faculty teaching award from Pritzker students more than 25 times.
Moreover, Humphrey developed structured student mentorship programs, including the Advising Societies, a key component of Pritzker’s award-winning career advising program. Drawing on her time as head of the Internal Medicine Residency program, she created the Pritzker Chief leadership positions for fourth-year students, modeled after the chief resident system in hospitals.
Focus on scholarship
“ Holly’s defining traits, including her spirit, warmth and ability to take the high road, will live on through the thousands of people she has trained and lives she has touched.”
Vineet Arora,
MD, AM’03
Dean of Medical Education Pritzker School of Medicine
Humphrey was widely recognized as one of the nation’s most prominent and innovative leaders in medical education. A longtime Ralph W. Gerard Professor in Medicine, she led Pritzker through a period of transformative growth that saw the school rise to a place among the nation’s elite institutions.
Her extraordinary career at UChicago also included an internal medicine residency, a pulmonary and critical care fellowship, a chief residency and 14 years as Director of the Internal Medicine Residency program.
Kenneth S. Polonsky, MD, the Richard T. Crane Distinguished Service Professor and former Dean of the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker school, praised Humphrey’s broad impact.
Polonsky recalled her “exceptional skill and compassion as a gifted clinician, her unusual ability to connect with, inspire and serve as a role model for students and learners at varying levels of their training, and her unwavering commitment to providing access to medical care of the highest quality to all particularly the most vulnerable.”
Leadership across decades Humphrey led the development of numerous programs and initiatives that remain fundamental to the experiences of students, residents and faculty.
“It is rare a day passes that I don’t see the profound impact Holly had on medical education nationwide and especially on the culture at the Pritzker School of Medicine,” said Vineet Arora, MD, AM’03, Pritzker’s current Dean for Medical Education. Arora trained under Humphrey as an internal medicine resident and chief resident.
In 2005, Humphrey cofounded the Bowman Society to honor the legacy of James E. Bowman, professor emeritus
With a vision for medical education as a prominent field of scholarship, Humphrey created the MERITS (Medical Education, Research, Innovation, Teaching and Scholarship) Fellowship and Training Program in 2010 to help develop educational leaders and scholars at UChicago.
Humphrey led the founding in 2006 of the Academy of Distinguished Medical Educators at UChicago to support and promote research, innovation and scholarship in medical education.
Additionally, Humphrey established a teaching partnership with NorthShore University Health System, now Endeavor Health, which created the Holly J. Humphrey Medical Education Fund with a $1 million gift to UChicago in recognition of her leadership.
In 2018, Humphrey left UChicago after nearly 40 years to become the eighth president of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, which is dedicated to improving health and health care in the U.S. via advances in medical education and the training of health professionals.
Humphrey held numerous leadership positions, including being elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2020. She was also a member of the advisory board of the Bucksbaum-Siegler Institute for Clinical Excellence at UChicago.
She was posthumously given the 2025 AAMC Award for Excellence in Medical Education, the most prestigious recognition from the Association of American Medical Colleges, in October.
Humphrey is survived by her husband, Duane Follman, who trained in internal medicine at UChicago, as well as her three children: Benjamin (married to Emma), Hannah and Sarah. She is also survived by brothers Philip (married to Sue) and Richard (married to Chris).
Alumni from classes ending in 1 and 6 will enjoy dedicated Reunion dinners
MAY 1–2
2026
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Colorful inquiry
This image shows different views of the same cancer cell, with each color highlighting various structures. Taken by graduate student Krystyna Tesak, the visualization is part of an investigation into how cytoskeletal properties drive the invasiveness of cancer cells. It won the Audience Favorite award in UChicago’s annual Science as Art contest.
