The Odell Lectureship was established in 1994 to honor Dr. Gerard B. Odell, emeritus professor of pediatrics. In addition to the lectureship, the Gerard B. Odell Research Award was established to honor Dr. Odell’s distinguished career in pediatrics research, academics, clinical practice and education.
The Gerard B. Odell Research Award is given to an assistant or associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics in recognition of their outstanding research accomplishments and demonstrated potential for future contributions in basic or translational research. Recipients will receive $5,000 to spend on research or professional development expenses and a one-time award of $5,000 via the annual compensation plan exercise.
Save the date for our next lecture!
When: Thursday, May 16, 2024 || 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Where: HSLC 1335 and Zoom
Speaker: Bruce Klein, MD
Title: Science and Medicine: Worlds within Worlds
Session Overview:
Dr. Gerard Odell encouraged skepticism and curiosity the practice of clinical medicine. He and his exemplary career as physician scientist offer an example. I have sought to embrace his challenge. I will describe my own personal experience in pursuing the science of medicine, while enjoying the journey.
Nominate a speaker for our next lecture!
Nominations for the 2024 Odell Lectureship are now closed. Visit the Research Awards page in fall 2024 to nominate a speaker for the 2025 lecture!
About Dr. Odell
Gerard B. Odell, MD, was a major figure in shaping the subspecialty disciplines of neonatology and gastroenterology in Pediatrics, and was highly influential in improving the quality of care of newborns and children with liver disease in the second half of the 20th century. He was born in 1925 in London, England the seventh of nine children. He received his undergraduate education at New York University, his M.D. degree at Yale, and his training in Pediatrics at Yale and Johns Hopkins. As an assistant professor, he left Hopkins to serve as Chairman and Professor of the Department of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Virginia. Odell came to the University of Wisconsin-Madison to serve as the Director of the Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition in 1976, where he remained until 1991, when he continued his basic research as an Emeritus Professor and worked steadily until his death in 1994.
Odell played a central role in establishing the foundations of the care of very sick low-birth-weight newborns while he served as the Chief of the Newborn Service at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. His work on the metabolism of bilirubin in infants was the major research commitment of his academic life. Odell’s path-breaking, bench-to-bedside research laid the foundations of life saving, state-of-the-art care of premature newborns worldwide.
As a clinician, Odell fostered intense skepticism about conventional wisdom in the treatment of a wide variety of pediatric illnesses. He embodied the Hippocratic injunction to “First, do no harm,” and a generation of his disciples became early advocates of what is now called “evidence based medicine”. He was intolerant of hypocrisy and pretense, set high standards for his students and trainees, and was a caring and supportive mentor to many.
Because of his integrity, intelligence, unfailing wit and gift for bench and clinical science, Odell was widely sought for leadership roles locally, nationally, and internationally. He trained nearly 30 basic and clinical scientists over his career. Odell’s legacy as a physician-scientist inspired many who have sought to emulate his model of critical thinking, scientific inventiveness and rigor, in the service of exceptional care to children.
Past Award Recipients
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2023
Emma Mohr, MD, PhD
2022
Anne Marie Singh, MD
2021
Bikash Pattnaik, PhD
2020
Pelin Cengiz, MD
2019
David J. McCulley, MD
2018
Christian M. Capitini, MD
2017
Ryan J. Coller, MD, MPH
1994-2016
2015 – J. Carter Ralphe, MD, FAHA
2014 – Daniel J. Jackson, MD
2013 – Judith A. Smith, MD, PhD
2011 – Megan A. Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH
2010 – Elizabeth D. Cox, MD, PhD
2009 – Theresa W. Guilbert, MD, MS
2008 – Sinisa Dovat, PhD, MD
2007 – Marlowe W. Eldridge, MD
2004 – Christine M. Seroogy, MD
2003 – Pamela J. Kling, MD
2002 – Aaron L. Carrel, MD
2001 – Anna Huttenlocher, MD
2000 – Cheryl P. Sanchez, MD
1997 – Timothy P. Cripe, MD, PhD
1996 – James E. Gern, MD
1995 – Scott Buck, MD and Edward Guillery, MD
1994 – Bruce Klein, MD
Accreditation Statement
In support of improving patient care, the University of Wisconsin – Madison ICEP is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Credit Designation Statements
American Medical Association (AMA)
The University of Wisconsin-Madison ICEP designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 ANCC contact hour(s).
Continuing Education Units
The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP, as a member of the University Professional & Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), authorizes this program for 0.1 CEUs or 1.0 hour(s).
The University of Wisconsin Department of Pediatrics is committed to creating inclusive and accessible events. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact Reva Finkelman at rfinkelman@wisc.edu. All requests must be made at least one month prior to the event. We will attempt to implement late requests but cannot guarantee they will be met.