[MUSIC PLAYING] I specialize in organ transplant, organ replacement, as well as diseases of the liver. And these include benign and malignant diseases of the liver and bile ducts. In the realm of organ transplant, I do kidney, pancreas, intestine, and liver transplant, but I'm also interested in the immunosuppressive management, the way to suppress the immune system from rejecting in all organs, as well as tissues.

My approach to patient management is to really engage them and understand how the disease process affects their lives, as well as their families' lives and their career. And so we spend a lot of time just getting to know each other. And as part of a multidisciplinary team, including medical colleagues, as well as other health care providers, we spend time getting to know patients individually.

I think our philosophy is unique in that we provide lifelong care to our patients. I'm happy to see them in sickness and in health many years after we take care of them. So it's the comprehensive multidisciplinary care at the University of Chicago, which I think makes us quite unique in regards of looking for the best solution to a patient's problem. It may not always be the one that is the most aggressive because sometimes patients don't want that. And so matching the patient's expectation with the care that we can provide is really what I think makes UC Medicine different.

So in transplantation, and one of the reasons I really got into it, is you really make a dramatic difference in the patient lives. Most of these patients are chronically ill and have just progressive organ failure in the case of transplant. And patients with cancer have an immediate need for how we're going to take out the cancer or treat them.

And so what I find most professionally fulfilling is being able to accomplish that, realizing that you can make a huge impact on some of these lives. And then as a result, their families' lives. Exercise is important. Getting sleep at night is important, and eating right.

And then each organ system has its sensitivity. So obviously, in talking about liver, you try and avoid the things that cause the liver damage-- alcohol to moderation or avoidance, healthy diet, so you don't get fatty liver disease, which is now becoming one of the most prevalent causes of liver disease in the United States. Getting tested for hepatitis B and C, which can be easily treated nowadays. And then once you have those diseases, try and minimize those kinds of things that can cause liver damage. If you have cancer, or you think you're prone to having cancer or some other indications you might, just getting checked on a periodic basis by your physician.

I went to medical school here. I graduated in 1982. So coming back here a couple of years ago was sort of the end of a cycle coming through my career of 30 plus years in transplant. And it's really gratifying to come back here.

University of Chicago has made huge advances. It's always been a premier institution in research and in education. And it's increasingly clear that we're at the cutting edge of medicine.

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