UChicago Medicine & Biological Science's top stories of 2024

Rendering of the AbbVie Foundation Cancer Pavilion, which is set to open in 2027

The University of Chicago Medicine and the Biological Sciences Division got to tell many stories about research, milestones and successes in 2024. Here's a roundup of the top stories that resonated with social media followers and readers of The Forefront blog.

News

We celebrated five decades of Comprehensive Cancer Center designation, continued support for community health, and a new multispecialty care center in Northwest Indiana.

$75 million cancer pavilion donation, NCI designation

The AbbVie Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing health inequities, donated $75 million to the University of Chicago to support the construction of UChicago Medicine’s new cancer pavilion, which will open in 2027. Earlier this year, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) renewed the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center’s “Comprehensive” designation — the highest honor an American Cancer Center can achieve — for another five years. UChicago Medicine was among the first in the country to earn NCI designation in 1973.

Read more: $75 million donation from AbbVie Foundation to support UChicago Medicine's new cancer pavilion

A female patient talking to a female doctor in a clinic room — Lauren Jansen is among the first patients treated at UChicago Medicine Crown Point. Jansen spoke with Jody Adams, APP, about her chemotherapy treatment during a recent visit.

Our first freestanding facility in Indiana

Following 20 months of construction, UChicago Medicine opened a multispecialty care center and microhospital in Northwest Indiana. The facility, called UChicago Medicine Crown Point, offers an emergency department and advanced specialty care — including access to UChicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital experts. It also houses one of only two comprehensive cancer centers in Indiana and access to hundreds of clinical trials at UChicago Medicine’s main campus in Hyde Park.

Read more: New UChicago Medicine Crown Point facility welcomes first patients

Top honors for cancer and ENT care, patient safety

The University of Chicago Medical Center’s cancer and ear, nose and throat programs were ranked the best in Illinois by U.S. News & World Report, while eight other specialties also made the publication's 2024-25 Best Hospitals list and 16 common adult procedures and conditions garnered a “high performing” rating. Separately, the medical center received its 26th consecutive “A” Hospital Safety Grade and its seventh Top Teaching Hospital award from The Leapfrog Group, making it the only research-intensive academic medical center in the nation with this track record.

$730.9 million investment in community benefits

Every year, the health system puts out a report detailing how it invests in the health of the communities it serves through outreach, grant programs, strategic partnerships and collaborations. The latest annual Community Benefit Report outlined the $730.9 million in benefits and services that were provided to communities on Chicago’s South Side and in the south suburbs over a 12-month period.

Growth

With progress comes new facilities, developments and partnerships designed to advance the delivery of care and support new research — including these notable projects:

Washington Park partnership supports lab facility, jobs

UChicago Medicine plans to build a clinical lab facility along East Garfield Boulevard in Washington Park to boost testing capabilities for the health system. A learning center constructed by City Colleges of Chicago will be adjacent to the lab and serve up to 800 students. Both efforts will support jobs and healthcare career pathways on the South Side.

Clinical-grade drug manufacturing facility at UChicago Medicine — The current Good Manufacturing Practices facility at UChicago’s Duchossois Family Institute features anaerobic chambers for growing bacteria, seen here.

Clinical-grade drug manufacturing facility opens at UChicago

The Duchossois Family Institute at the University of Chicago opened a facility to manufacture clinical-grade microbiome therapeutics. The facility, the first of its kind at an academic institution, allows experts to grow, freeze-dry and encapsulate live bacteria for patients who have microbiome deficiencies associated with a wide range of illnesses. It is compliant with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), the FDA’s regulatory standard for production of pharmaceuticals and biologic therapeutics.

Partnership with MoneyGram Haas F1 Team

The MoneyGram Haas F1 Team and the University of Chicago Medicine are forming a new partnership that marks the first-known healthcare-provider sponsorship in Formula 1. This collaboration aims to elevate UChicago Medicine’s global presence, foster connections with international patients, and enhance its reputation as a leading healthcare destination.

Patient Stories

Whether they're coming to us for breakthrough treatments or everyday care, UChicago Medicine patients have access to world-class facilities, clinicians and therapies in an increasing number of communities. Here are several stories of resilience that stood out this year.

Bensabio Guajardo with his three grandchildren — Patient Bensabio Guajardo, center, received a double lung transplant in May 2024 at UChicago Medicine

Latino Transplant Program gives comfort, guidance to Indiana grandfather

During his double lung transplant in May 2024, Bensabio Guajardo’s entire care team spoke fluent Spanish — his surgeon, his nurses and even his pharmacist — thanks to UChicago Medicine’s Latino Transplant Program. The offering, unique in the U.S., is dedicated to helping Latino and Hispanic transplant patients and their families navigate their care.

Patient first in Illinois to receive new treatment for advanced skin cancer

Alla Pinzour battled advanced skin cancer (melanoma) for 15 years, and she tried every treatment with no success — until now. At UChicago Medicine, Pinzour received tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, which involves surgically removing a person's cancer-fighting T cells and supercharging them to destroy a tumor target once they're returned to the body. UChicago Medicine was one of the first places to offer TIL therapy since the new treatment received FDA approval.

UChicago Medicine pioneers new use of drug for ulcerative colitis

In September, a UChicago Medicine patient became the first in the world to receive the drug guselkumab (Tremfya) since its approval by the FDA for treating moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. A global study led by UChicago Medicine played a big role in helping the drug, which is already used to treat plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, get FDA approval.

After shoulder surgery, Ingalls nurse wins her first bodybuilding competition

Nurse and aspiring bodybuilder Yolanda Lake had orthopaedic surgery at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital to repair her rotator cuff and bicep, and she grew stronger with physical therapy sessions at UChicago Medicine Ingalls-Calumet City. With supervision from her care team, Lake spent eight months doing an intense training regime. She took home two medals at the Chi-Town Showdown bodybuilding competition in June.

Research

Researchers in UChicago's Biological Sciences Division make new discoveries and breakthroughs across diverse areas of science and medicine every single year, and 2024 was no exception.

Dr. Alexander Pearson — The research of medical oncologist Alexander T. Pearson, MD, PhD, combines laboratory experiments and mathematical models to more fully understand how head and neck cancers form and how to better design treatments for these cancers.

AI breakthroughs, tools elevate patient care

Learning models developed at UChicago that use artificial intelligence are helping doctors provide personalized, highly targeted treatment for cancer and other diseases — a pursuit decades in the making. Meanwhile, a generative AI listening tool was recently introduced as an option for UChicago Medicine patients, allowing conversation to be recorded and documented during a visit so clinicians can focus on face time with patients, not note taking.

Microbiome studies explore why more women develop Alzheimer’s disease

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s dementia are women. Two fascinating studies explored potential biological factors underlying this discrepancy by looking at sex-specific differences in the development of Alzheimer’s-like symptoms in mice, including the impact of estrogen on the formation of amyloid plaques and inflammation in the brain — two hallmark symptoms of the disease. The research also strengthened evidence of the gut microbiome’s role in mediating these symptoms, providing clues that could someday help develop treatments.

Common diabetes drug shows promise for treating macular degeneration

Retina specialist Dimitra Skondra, MD, PhD, and her team uncovered additional evidence showing that metformin, a widely used and inexpensive drug for type 2 diabetes, can slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss affecting roughly 11 million Americans. With this latest study strengthening the case for metformin's potential benefits, clinical trials could soon be on the horizon.

UChicago researchers received multimillion-dollar grants to study dementia, cellular behavior, and more

A $7.4 million, five-year grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences will fund research at UChicago on how cells adapt to environmental stressors, offering new insights into diseases and aging. Meanwhile, a $4.8 million grant from the NIH’s BRAIN Initiative will enable UChicago scientists, along with partners from two other Chicago universities, to develop faster imaging techniques for mapping the intricate connections between the 100 billion neurons in the human brain. Additionally, Emily Rogalski, PhD, is among principal investigators awarded $13.2 million over five years to lead a clinical trial on using telehealth strategies and wearable technologies to improve communication in individuals with primary progressive aphasia, a form of dementia.

Expert Insights and Advice

Beyond delivering care at the bedside, our clinicians are dedicated to educating patients and the community. This year, we published dozens of guides, Q&As and articles addressing commonly asked questions.

Shashwati Pradhan,MD with a female patient in a clinic room — Shashwati Pradhan, MD, (left), speaks with a patient at UChicago Medicine.

What OB-GYNs want teen patients to know

Gynecologic care is isn’t important only for adults. Physicians from the pediatric and adolescent gynecology team shared some common myths and misconceptions they hear from younger patients. From explaining the differences between a Pap smear and pelvic exam to tackling questions about tampons, contraceptives and cancer, our experts cover important information for people of all ages.

How young people can prevent cancer

It’s a mystery doctors and scientists have yet to solve: the rising rates of cancer in younger adults. The number of early onset cancer cases — those that occur in adults under age 50 — is increasing by 1% to 2% annually, according to the American Cancer Society. UChicago Medicine oncologists offered important advice on prevention, risk reduction and symptoms not to ignore.

Surprise: Bad medical advice abounds on TikTok

Earlier this year, UChicago researchers analyzed sinus-related health information on TikTok. They found that 44% of videos reviewed over a 24-hour period contained nonfactual information — with a large portion coming from nonmedical influencers, while TikTok content created by medical professionals overwhelmingly received higher scores.