In March 2002, Dr. David Kaufman passed away unexpectedly. At the time of his death, David was the secretary general of the Henry L. Bockus International Society of Gastroenterology and former president of the medical staff and chief of Internal Medicine at Trinitas Hospital in Elizabeth, New Jersey. David was also a recognized authority for inflammatory bowel disease in the northern New Jersey region.

Through the efforts of family, friends, and members of David Kaufman’s undergraduate class of 1952 and medical school class of 1956 at the University of Pennsylvania, the David Kaufman Memorial Funds were established at the School of Medicine. The endowed funds will support two important projects at the School: The Kaufman Lectureship in the Gastroenterology Division, and the Kaufman Global Health Initiative Travel Fund, in support of a ground breaking program that sends medical students to under served communities around the globe.

To learn more about GI Lectureships or to make a gift to the Kaufman Global Health Initiative Travel fund in memory of David Kaufman, please contact Evelyn Schwartz, Director of Development, Abramson Cancer Center, 215-898-8625, evelynsz@upenn.edu.

The following is a list of the speakers of the Kaufman Lectureship:

2005
Ruslan Medzhitov, PhD
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Immunology Section
Yale University School of Medicine

"Immunolobiology of host-microbial interactions"

2006
Elizabeth M. Jaffee, MD
Co-Director, Division of Immunology
Professor of Oncology, Immunology, and Cell and Molecular Medicine
The Dana and Albert Broccoli Professor of Oncology
The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins

“Genes, vaccines, and immune checkpoints: raising hope for pancreatic cancer therapy”

2008
Stanley M. Lemon, MD
John Sealy Distinguished University Chair
Professor, Departments of Microbiology & Immunology and Internal Medicine
Director, Institute for Human Infections and Immunity
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

"Hepatitis viruses and innate host defenses"

2009
Mary K. Estes, PhD
Cullen Endowed Chair of Molecular and Human Virology
Departments of Molecular Virology and Microbiology & Medicine
Baylor College of Medicine

"Norovirus gastroenteritis: pathogenesis, host susceptibility and vaccines"

2011
Raphael Kopan, PhD
Professor, Department of Developmental Biology
Department of Medicine, Division of Dermatology
Washington University

"Notch signaling in adult lineages: new tools lead to new insights"

2012
Frédéric Lemaigre, MD, PhD
Professor of Molecular Biology
Université catholique de Louvain de Duve Institute

"Transcription factor-microRNA networks in liver and pancreatic cell differentiation"

2013
Gloria M. Petersen, PhD
Professor of Epidemiology
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

" Recent advances in the molecular epidemiology of pancreatic cancer"

2014
Yibin Kang, PhD
Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Professor of Molecular Biology
Princeton University

"Epithelial to mesenchymal transtions in cancer metastasis"

2015
Sunil Hingorani, MD
Associate Member, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Associate Professor, University of Washington School of Medicine
Director, Center for Accelerated Translation in Pancreas Cancer
FHCRC/UWMC/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance

"Stromal disruption to treat pancreas cancer"

2016
Daniel Von Hoff, MD, FACP
Physician in Chief, Distinguished Professor, Translational Genomics Research Institute
Professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic
Chief Scientific Officer, Scottsdale Healthcare
Medical Director of Research, McKesson Specialty Health and Scientific Medical Officer, US Oncology Research

"Reprogramming Transcriptional Circuitry to Control Pancreatic Cancer: Moses and Minnesota"

2017
Alison P. Klein, MHS, PhD
Professor of Oncology
Professor of Pathology
Professor of Epidemiology
THe Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

"Pancreatic Cancer: From Genomes to Patient Care"

The son of Lithuanian immigrants, Irving Shapiro (1916-2001) graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1941 and held a variety of government positions during and after World War II. In 1948, as a lawyer for the Justice Department, he won his first case before the Supreme Court. Three years later he joined DuPont's legal team. Mr. Shapiro grew intimately acquainted with the company during the lengthy General Motors-DuPont antitrust suit, and as the chief architect of the settlement won the trust of the du Pont family. Shapiro became assistant general counsel in 1965 and five years later was appointed to the Executive Committee. In July 1973 he became vice chairman, preparing the way for his succession to becoming Chairman and CEO in December 1973. Mr. Shapiro steered DuPont successfully through many issues in the 1970s. Under Mr. Shapiro's stewardship, DuPont expanded its overseas operations. Mr. Shapiro retired in 1981 but continued to practice law in Wilmington and provide counsel to DuPont into the 1990s.

Irving Shapiro, and his wife, Charlotte Shapiro, established in 1998 an annual lecture to highlight distinguished researchers within the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Pennsylvania.

The following is a list of the speakers of the Shapiro Lectureship:

1998
Anil K. Rustgi, MD
University of Pennsylvania

1999
Ken Kinzler, PhD
Johns Hopkins University

"Pathogenesis of Colon Cancer"

2000
George Michaelopoulos, MD, PhD
University of Pittsburgh

"Liver regeneration"

2001
Montgomery Bissell, MD
University of California at San Francisco

"Liver Fibrosis"

2003
Stefan Targan, MD
Cedars Sinai Hospital, UCLA

"Mucosal specific mechanisms of IFN-g regulation"

2003
Fiona Powrie, PhD
University of Oxford

"Control of immune pathology by regulatory T cells"

2005
Hans Clevers, PhD
Utrecht University

2006
Linheng Li, PhD
Stowers Institute for Medical Research

"Stem cell regulation in intestinal and hematopoietic systems"

2007
Matthew Meyerson, MD, PhD
Harvard Medical School

"Genomic studies of human cancer"

2009
Brigid L.M. Hogan, PhD, FRS
Duke University

"Lung stem cells in development and repair"

2010
Mina J. Bissell, PhD
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

"The importance of tumor microenvironment in initiation, promotion, and therapy of cancer"

2011
Michael Karin, PhD
Professor, Pharmacology
Tumor Growth, Invasion & Metastasis Program
University of California, San Diego

"Inflammation, metabolism, aging and cancer: dangerous liaisons"

2012
Eric Fearon, M.D.. PhD
Chief, Molecular Medicine & Genetics
Emanuel N. Maisel Professor of Oncology
Professor of Internal Medicine, Human Genetics & Pathology
Associate Director for Basic Science
University of Michigan, Comprehensive Cancer Center

"The use of mouse models to explore the molecular pathogenesis of colorectal cancer"

2013
Carol Prives, PhD
Da Costa Professor of Biology
Department of Biological Sciences
Columbia University

"Lessons learned from studying the p53 tumor suppressor protein"

2014
Andrea Califano, PhD
Professor of Systems Biology
Chief, Division of Biomedical Informatics
Director, Columbia Initiative in Systems Biology
Director, Center for the Multiscale Analysis of Genomic Networks
Associate Director for Bioinformatics, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
Columbia University

"Analysis of gene regulatory networks elucidates master regulators of tumor initiation, progression, and chemosensitivity"

2015
D. Brent Polk, MD
Professor and Chair, Department of Pediatrics                           
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology                        
Physician-in-Chief and Vice President of Academic Affairs, CHLA
Director, The Saban Research Institute

"Good fences make good neighbors: Repair and regeneration of intestinal epithelium across space and time"

2016
Richard Peek, MD
Director, Division of Gastroenterology                               
Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology                   
Mina Cobb Wallace Chair in Immunology

"Molecular underpinnings and tragic triangulations of helicobacter pylori-onduced gastric cancer"

2017
Bishr Omary, MD, PhD
Executive Vice Dean for Research
Chief Scientific Officer
H. Marvin Pollard Professor of Gastroenterology
Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and Internal Medicine
University of Michigan Medical School

"Intermediate filaments of digestive organs: Pathophysiologic and Therapeutic Perspectives"

Established by Dr. Greg Ginsberg and his family to honor his late father, who succumbed to pancreatic cancer, for an endowed lectureship for pre-eminent speakers to focus on pancreatic disease translational research.  This lectureship is coordinated through the Center and the GI division.

2013
Marcia I. Canto, MD, MHS
Professor of Medicine
Professor of Oncology
Director of Clinical Research
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

"Prevention and Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer: Have We Made Progress?"

2014
David C. Whitcomb, MD, PhD
Giant Eagle Foundation Professor of Cancer Genetics
Professor of Medicine
Cell Biology & Physiology and Human Genetics
Chief, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Medical Director, Comprehensive Pancreas Program, Liver- Pancreas Institute
University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

"Pancreatic Cancer: The Road to Discovery"

2015
Ursina Tietelbaum, MD
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine
Division of Hematology/Oncology

"Progress in Pancreatic Cancer Therapy"

2016
Michael J. Levy, MD
Professor of Medicine
Mayio Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

"Pancreatic Cancer: Endoscopic Tools for Early Diagnosis, Staging and Therapy"

2017
Gregory L. Beatty, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Hematology Oncology
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

"Current and Emerging Developments in Molecular Biology Pertaining to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma"

Established by Dr. Deren's family to honor Dr. Deren, an IBD specialist, this endowed lectureship focuses on pre-eminent speakers in the domains of basic and translational IBD.  This lectureship is coordinated through the Center and the GI division.

2012
Brian Feagan, MD
Director, Clinical Trials
Robarts Research Institute

“Targeted approaches in IBD"

2013
Bruce E. Sands, MD, MS
Chief of the Henry D. Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology
Mount Sinai School of Medicine

“Novel therapeutics in IBD”

2014
Stephen B. Hanauer, MD
Clifford Joseph Barborka Professor of Medicine
Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine
Medical Director
Digestive Health Center

“Therapy Withdrawal in the IBD Patient:
Who is Appropriate, When to Consider Withdrawal and What to Expect”

2015
David T. Rubin, MD
Joseph B. Krisner Professor of Medicine
Section Chief, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
Co-Director, Digestive diseases Center
University of Chicago School of Medicine

“Optimizing the Use of Therapies for IBD: Current Status and Vision for the Future”

2016
Maria T. Abreu, MD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Professor of Medicine
Martin Kalser Endowed Chair in Gastroenterology
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

“How Does Fundamental Research Help Treat Patients with IBD?”

2017
Corey Siegel, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Dartmouth Institute for Health & Policy
Clinical Practice Director
Dartmouth-Hitchcok Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center

“Optimizing and Overcoming Barriers to Optimized IBD Care”

2009
Christopher J. Gostout, MD
Professor of Medicine
Director of Developmental Endoscopy and Research
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

2010
Grace H. Elta, MD
Professor of Medicine
University of Michigan

2011
Brian Dunkin, MD
Professor of Surgery
John F., Jr. and Carolyn Bookout Chair in Surgical Innovation and Technology
Houston Methodist Institute for Technology, Innovation & Education
Weill Cornell Medical College

2012
John Del Valle, MD
Professor, Department of Internal Medicine
A. Alfred Taubman Health Care Center Drive

"The Case for Mentoring in Medicine: From Telemachus to the Millenials"

2013
John L. Petrini, MD, FACP
Chief, Department of Gastroenterology
Sansum Medical Clinic
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine
University of Southern California

2014
Lawrence R. Kosinski, MD, MBA, AGAF, FACG
Illinois Gastroenterology Group
Elgin, Illinois

"National trends and strategic survival skills"

2015
Joel Brill, MD
Chief Medical Office Predictive Health, LLC                              
Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of Arizona School of Medicine

"Thinking Differently: Strategies for Adoption of New Technologies and Treatments in a Value-Based World"

2016
David Liberman, MD
Chief of Gastroenterology                                                        
Oregon Health & Sciences University

"Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening and Prevention: The Known Unknowns"

2017
John I. Allen, MD, MBA, AGAF
Professor of Medicine                                                         
University of Michigan

"Tripartite Mission Meets Repeal and Replace"

2017
Ronald Sokol, MD