Feinberg’s chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) medical honor society welcomed 40 new members during a ceremony on March 12, recognizing the inductees’ outstanding educational achievement and significant contributions to medicine.

“This year, we induct the 121st class of Alpha Omega Alpha here at Northwestern, where we get to honor students, faculty and house staff who have done a superb job in terms of patient care, excelling in research, and demonstrated compassion and service to our community,” said Shilajit Kundu, MD, ’07 GME, chief of Urologic Oncology in the Department of Urology, who welcomed guests to the ceremony.

Kundu, who also serves as AOA councilor for Feinberg, introduced Susan Quaggin, MD, the chair and Irving S. Cutter Professor of Medicine, who delivered the keynote lecture prior to the induction ceremony.

In her lecture, Quaggin detailed her career trajectory from investigating potassium channels during her early years as a resident at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto to her current work, which focuses on therapies to restore Schlemm’s canal, a key vessel in the eye that is undeveloped in children with congenital glaucoma.

For many years, Quaggin and her laboratory have tracked the effects of VEGF inhibitors, a therapy often administered to cancer patients, discovering that the absence of VEGF in adult kidneys disrupts the normal function of the glomerulus, findings that helped to establish clear warnings about VEGF inhibitors and the risk of kidney failure.

“The really fun part about science is being able to collaborate with people from all over the world and advance this story,” Quaggin said. “For me, this began with patients; It’s all about the patients and it’s such a privilege to be able to contribute in this way.”

Following Quaggin’s lecture, Eli Zimmerman, MD, associate dean for Student Affairs, welcomed 30 new medical student members into AOA.

“It is truly an honor to be inducted into AOA alongside such inspiring and dedicated current and future physicians,” said Azraa Chaudhury, a fourth-year medical student who was part of this year’s AOA class. “I am so grateful to my family who has always supported me, the communities that have raised me, and my mentors who have invested in me throughout my journey. I hope to continue to grow as a clinician and reflect the physician role models I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from at Northwestern.”

New housestaff inductees were announced by Joshua Goldstein, MD, senior associate dean for Graduate Medical Education, professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Neurology and Epilepsy and in the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology. 

“Being inducted into AOA is a great honor – it means a lot to have this recognition from my program leadership,” said Asantewaa Ture, MD, the VA and health equity/advocacy chief medical resident at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, who was also inducted into AOA. “I am humbled and very appreciative of this award.”

Marianne Green, MD, vice dean for Education and the Raymond H. Curry, MD, Professor of Medical Education, welcomed faculty inductees to the medical honor society.

“Induction into AOA means a great deal to me, as it represents being nominated by my leadership and selected from among the amazingly talented and accomplished faculty at our premier University,” said Mehul Raval, MD, professor of Surgery in the Division of Pediatric Surgery, who was inducted into AOA as a faculty member. “This validates and recognizes a lifelong commitment to academic excellence and clinical service. It is very humbling and quite an honor.”