Endowed Chair Program

Cook Children's is home to many of the best and brightest minds in pediatric health care. In 2013, we implemented a special program to recognize outstanding visionaries on our medical staff. Established by Cook Children's Health Foundation with a $10 million endowment, the Endowed Chair program recognizes the great work of our innovative physicians who are advancing pediatric care along with Cook Children's research reputation.

This program is our commitment to supporting research and teaching. Through their endowed chair, physicians develop programs, participate in clinical research, write for national publications, make presentations on a national level and further elevate the regional, national and global prominence of their work.

President and CEO Rick W. Merrill stated, "The potential of this program is profound. It holds incredible promise for our organization and the patients we serve. It is another step in our commitment to improve the well-being of every child in our communities and our care."

The following physicians have been given an endowed chair in support of their work in their program areas:

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Sibo Zhao, M.D.

Dr. Zhao will develop a focused ultrasound program within Cook Children's Health Care System. This unique ultrasound program will present novel therapies for the treatment of malignancies in children. This will establish Cook Children's at the forefront of Neuro-Oncology therapy across the nation.

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Sani Roy, M.D.

Dr. Roy will develop a comprehensive program for the treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome. This Prader-Willi program will establish Cook Children's as a Center of Excellence in the management of this vulnerable population.

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Paul Thornton, M.D.

Hyperinsulinism Center: Develop and manage the Hyperinsulinism Center, a subspecialty of Endocrinology and Diabetes Services, with a dedicated multidisciplinary team focused on the diagnosis and management of patients with hypoglycemic disorders caused by inappropriate insulin secretion.

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Don Wilson, M.D.

Risk Evaluation to Achieve Cardiovascular Health (REACH) Clinic: Create and manage the pediatric REACH program, a subspecialty of Endocrinology and Diabetes Services, with a dedicated multidisciplinary team designed to identify, manage, treat and educate children at risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

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Warren Marks, M.D.

Movement Disorders Clinic: Develop and manage the Cook Children's Center for Pediatric Neuromotor Disorders, which includes the Deep Brain Stimulation program, Motion Analysis Laboratory, Transcutaneous Magnetic Stimulation, Spinal Cord Rehabilitation program, Therapeutic Sports and Recreation program and Transitional lifespan "Bridge to Adulthood" program for children with complex neurological disorders.

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Steve Muyskens, M.D.

3D aPPROaCH Lab - Heart Center: Continued advancement of the Cardiovascular MRI (cMR) for Congenital Heart Disease program at Cook Children's, including the development of the Adult Congenital cMR program and incorporating state-of-the-art imaging techniques including a 3D printing program.

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Marcela Torres, M.D.

Pediatric Stroke and Thrombosis Program: The development of a Pediatric Stroke and Thrombosis Center with a highly specialized and trained multidisciplinary team able to provide the best medical care to children who suffer an acute stroke or suffer from chronic neurological deficits due to the stroke.

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Artee Gandhi, M.D.

Center for Pain Management and Integrative Health: The development of the Center for Pain Management and Integrative Health focusing on expanding complementary medicine services. This includes developing patient and family support groups to increase community awareness as well as providing a network for patient encouragement and inspiration, increasing community and staff education on the implications of untreated pain and the associated disability that ensues and creating a transitional care program for patients admitted to the rehabilitation unit.

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Scott Perry, M.D.

Comprehensive Epilepsy Program: A three-tiered program designed within the Comprehensive Epilepsy program of the Jane and John Justin Neurosciences Center to expand the use of new and existing technologies in a minimally invasive epilepsy program. The tiers further local and collaborative research, continue the education of the next generation of neurologists to guide the program at Cook Children's and serve as a method to introduce Cook Children's to the broader neuroscience community and help foster continued collaborative relationships.

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Clifton Huang, M.D.

Dr. Huang will establish Cook Children's as a center in confocal laser endomicroscopy. Confocal laser endomicroscopy will put Cook Children's at the forefront of live gastrointestinal endoscopic diagnosis and molecular imaging, facilitating the management of multiple acute and chronic gastrointestinal disorders in an expedient and more precise way.