Illinois Medicine

distinguished alumnus by Kevin McKeough RESEARCHER, Jerome Hershman, MD '57, has over the course of a more than More than a half century after his research career was launched while studying under Nobel Laureate Linus Paul- ing, PhD, Hershman is continuing his own lifelong pursuit of a deeper understanding of the workings of the thyroid with regard to everything from morning sickness to cancer. For more than 50 years, Hershman's pioneering studies A 36 | WINTER 2012 of the thyroid have made a major impact on clinical care for thyroid disorders and other research in the field. In recognition of his achievements as a researcher, clinician and mentor, Her- shman received this year's Distinguished Alumnus Award from the College of Medicine during its annual reunion weekend (see related story, page 34). "It's certainly very meaningful to me. I enjoyed my edu- cation and treasured it," says Hershman, who is distinguished professor in the department of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. Distinguished professor is the highest attainable academic rank in the University of California system. The son of a shoe store owner and a homemaker, Hershman grew up in Chicago and was drawn to medicine by his interest in science and desire to help others. He earned a bachelor of science in chemistry degree from Northwestern University in three years, graduating with honors, then com- pleted a master of science degree at the California Institute of Technology. One of his mentors at Caltech was Pauling, a two- time recipient of the Nobel Prize for both chemistry and peace. "He was a very inspiring person, and easily accessible and down-to-earth, although everybody was awed by him," Hershman recalls. He worked with Pauling on research into the molecular length of DNA. "At the time, DNA was known to be the carrier of heredity, but not enough was known about the molecule itself," he says. "This research was part of trying to characterize the structure of DNA." That experience has stayed with him to this day. "I con- tinued research in large part because of the stimulation that I Seymour "Sy" Levin '56, MD '61, who nominated Hershman (right) for the Distinguished Alumnus Award, talks with him on the Chicago campus during Reunion Weekend last August. S A YOUNG MAN, JEROME HERSHMAN, MD '57, was inspired by medical tales such as Arrowsmith, Sinclair Lewis' novel about a freethinking doctor's lifelong course of scien- tific inquiry. "I read a number of medical books that were quite inspiring, where the doctor was a heroic figure, conquering disease and helping people," he says. PHOTO: DIANE SMUTNY

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