The George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences is pleased to announce a new endowed lecture series – the Stuart S. Kassan, MD ‘72, Lecture Series – hosted by the Division of Rheumatology. This series is supported by Kassan to enhance rheumatology research at GW through establishing academic collaborations between GW faculty and world-renowned experts. The lecture series will begin September 2018.
“I am thrilled that Victoria K. Shanmugam, MD, director of the Division of Rheumatology, has put together such an outstanding rheumatology unit at GW,” said Kassan. “Because rheumatology and GW are both very important to me, I can’t think of a better way to promote and enhance this important discipline for patient care and teaching than by establishing this endowed lecture.”
The inaugural lecturer will be V. Michael Holers, MD, Scoville professor and head of the Division of Rheumatology in the Departments of Medicine and Immunology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. His lecture is titled, “Genetics and the Environment in Rheumatoid Arthritis.” The lecture will be held on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2018 at noon in the GW Hospital Auditorium. A photo ID is required for admittance.
Kassan grew up just north of New York City in Westchester County. After earning his BA from Case Western Reserve University, he studied medicine at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, following in his father’s footsteps.
In 1972, the Clinical Center of The National Institutes of Health (NIH) extended an invitation to Kassan to study and advance research in immunology. After completing an internship and residency at Emory University, he founded a private practice in the Denver, Colorado area, where he continues to practice today. Kassan later returned to the NIH to progress his findings, which led him to testifying in front of the United States Congress. His testimony consisted of his detailed research on lupus and Sjögren's syndrome, a complex rheumatic disease that affects multiple areas of the body.
In 2012, Kassan was named Master of the American College of Rheumatology. This prestigious achievement is awarded only to those who have demonstrated great service to their patients, academic peers, and students. It is given only to those over the age of 65 and is conferred by the board of directors of the American College of Rheumatology. Currently, he is serving as a distinguished clinical professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He completed an eight-year term with the GW Board of Trustees in May of this year.
