The Investiture of John D. Crispino, PhD
At Northwestern University Feinberg School, our faculty is the single most important resource for advancing the medical school’s key missions of research, education, and clinical service, and for achieving our goal to be among the nation’s top 10 academic medical centers. Our shared successes depend upon the intellectual environment created by a superb faculty and on the continuing commitment of the faculty to our academic mission. For these reasons in particular, the creation of named and endowed professorships is enormously important.
On January 10, John D. Crispino, PhD, associate director of education and training at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, was formally invested as the Robert I. Lurie, MD, and Lora S. Lurie Professor.
An Innovative, Impressive Career
Over the past decade, Dr. Crispino has made many important contributions to improve the understanding of the mechanisms of normal and malignant blood development. He was the first person to identify specific genetic mutations that are associated with leukemia in children with Down syndrome. Currently, he is focusing on understanding the role of transcription factors in the specification and maturation of blood cells.
“John is an exacting, innovative, steadfast, and creative researcher with a sincere appreciation for academia. He has maintained a focus on biomedical research to the enrich the lives of people, which not many of us are able to accomplish in our careers,” shared Michele Le Beau, PhD, Arthur and Marian Edelstein Professor and director of the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center.
As Dr. Crispino’s extoller, Dr. Le Beau offered a special glimpse into both his profound scientific accomplishments and the merits of his “generous and collegial” character. “He has accomplished what we all just talk about—team science. He tackles the toughest questions with innovative approaches and translates his research for the development of potential therapeutics.”
Supporters: Past and Present
The main theme of Dr. Crispino’s remarks was the importance of mentors. He thanked the many mentors throughout his career, including Dr. Le Beau and Steven T. Rosen, MD, Genevieve Teuton Professor of Medicine and director of the Lurie Cancer Center, and acknowledged the countless trainees with whom he has worked: “they keep me grounded.”
Dr. Crispino graciously thanked those who brought this new position to fruition: “I am humbled by the generosity of the Lurie family, which allows me to contribute to the success of Feinberg.”
“My life’s goal is to improve the lives of cancer patients and their families.”
This page last updated Jan 2013