NorthShore University HealthSystem Foundation Hosts Investiture Ceremony for Two Endowed Chairs

On Thursday, October 13, 2016, NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) Foundation hosted an investiture ceremony for two Endowed Chairs at Joe’s Restaurant in Chicago. Endowed Chairs represent the highest level of prestige at academic medical institutions and help ensure the continuation of excellence in care, research and medical education. Many friends, supporters and colleagues gathered at the Urological Health Advisory Council Dinner as NorthShore honored and celebrated the work of two highly esteemed medical researchers: Simon W. Hayward, PhD and Jianfeng Xu, MD, DrPH.

The ceremony commenced with the investiture of Dr. Simon Hayward, the Jean Ruggles Romoser Chair of Cancer Research, Director of Cancer Biology and co-Director of the Program for Personalized Cancer Care at NorthShore. A past President of the Society for Basic Urological Research, Dr. Hayward brought his talents to NorthShore in 2015 from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he held distinguished positions in the Department of Urologic Surgery and Department of Cancer Biology, as well as the Vanderbilt-Ingram Comprehensive Cancer Center. His postdoctoral work was at the University of California, San Francisco. He has more than 30 years of experience studying the development and diseases of the prostate and is on the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Clinical and Experimental Urology.

Dr. Jianfeng Xu, Vice President of Translational Research at NorthShore, was then invested in the Ellrodt-Schweighauser Family Chair of Cancer Genomic Research. Dr. Xu is also Director of the Program for Personalized Cancer Care at NorthShore. Dr. Xu joined NorthShore in 2014, coming from Wake Forest University Medical Center where he was Professor of Genomics and Personalized Medicine Research, Epidemiology, Cancer Biology and Urology, as well as the Director for the Center for Cancer Genomics. For the past 20 years, Dr. Xu was been working on genetic studies of cancer and other diseases, and has received multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health. His primary research interests are the discovery of associations for cancer risk and progression; and the application of genetic research findings for risk prediction, and prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

“The individuals receiving these Endowed Chair honors are among the best research-scientists in the nation,” said Murray Ancell, NorthShore Foundation Executive Director. “We are proud that they are advancing their leading-edge work at NorthShore, in support of our mission “to preserve and improve human life.”

For more information about ways to support NorthShore University HealthSystem, please call (224) 364-7200 or visit northshore.org/foundation.

About NorthShore University HealthSystem

NorthShore University HealthSystem is an integrated healthcare delivery system consistently named among the nation’s best. The NorthShore system, including its four hospitals – Evanston, Glenbrook, Highland Park and Skokie –is consistently ranked as a Top 15 Teaching Hospital System in the U.S. and a top 10 in Illinois. NorthShore also includes a 900 physician multispecialty group practice, NorthShore Medical Group, located in 100-plus offices across Chicago and many of the Northern Suburbs. NorthShore is a Magnet recognized organization, the first in Illinois designated as an entire system to receive this prestigious honor that demonstrates excellence in nursing and high standards in patient care. The system also supports the NorthShore Research Institute; the NorthShore Foundation; and NorthShore Home & Hospice Services. In addition to launching Be Well Lake County, a community health initiative committed to providing greater access to comprehensive care, NorthShore contributes more than $209 million in charitable care and services to the community it serves.