Endowed Lectures

Paul W. Seavey Distinguished Lecture (General Internal Medicine)

Occurs every fall. The purpose of the Paul W. Seavey Distinguished Lecturer in General Internal Medicine series is to highlight the role of the internist as a diagnostician, emphasize the importance of the physician-patient relationship, recognize innovative trends in medicine and public health as they relate to the field of ambulatory practice, and inspire individuals choosing to practice within the field of internal medicine. This lecture series provides a forum for scholarly discourse on the practice of medicine and recognizes dynamic leaders at the crossroads of medicine and public health.

2015: "The National Institutes of Health: Undiagnosed Diseases Program and Network." William A. Gahl, MD, PhD

2016: "A Tale of Two Brains: How to Rekindle the Artist Within." Salvatore Mangione, MD

2017: "Presentation Skills for Physicians." Scott C. Litin, MD

2018: "HealthPolicy: Does Evidence Really Matter?" Victor Wu, MD, MPH

2019: "Individualizing Cancer Screening in Older Adults." Louise Walter, MD

2020-2022: canceled due to COVID-19

2023: "Dialogue with the Makers: 'The Only Doctor' Film Screening and Creator Q&A." Karen Kinsell, MD & Matthew Hashiguchi

 2024: Helene Gayle, MD, MPH, President of Spelman College in conversation with M. Daniele Fallin, PhD, James W. Curran Dean of Public Health, Rollins School of Public Health

William T. Branch Jr. Innovations in Primary Care

Occurs every October during Primary Care Week. Dr. Branch is an innovator and pioneer in medical education of trainees and practitioners with a focus on primary care. The purpose of the William T. Branch Innovation in Primary Care Lectureship/Seminar/Series will be to offer innovative, interactive presentations that promote the life-long learning of humanism in medicine, support the development of professional identity, and foster collaborative, collegial relationships among health professionals.

2020: "What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear." Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD

2021: "Realizing Our Potential as Healers: Professional Identity Formation." Dennis H. Novak, MD

2022: "Can We Educate Physicians to be Trustworthy? It Depends." Adina Kalet, MD, MPH

2023: "Social Media and Medicine: Connectivity and Disconnects." Paul N. Williams, MD

Shanthi V. Sitaraman Frontiers in Gastroenterology Memorial Lecture

Occurs every April. The Frontiers in Gastroenterology Lecture honors the life and legacy of Dr. Shanthi V. Sitaraman—an exceptional physician-scientist, educator, and humanitarian whose work profoundly advanced the field of inflammatory bowel disease and enriched the academic community at Emory. A prolific researcher with more than 200 publications, an award-winning clinician devoted to her patients, and a gifted mentor to students, trainees, and junior faculty, Dr. Sitaraman exemplified excellence in research, teaching, and service. This lecture celebrates her visionary leadership and enduring contributions to gastroenterology, inspiring future generations to pursue innovation, compassionate care, and academic distinction in the spirit of her remarkable career.

2012: "Cigarette smoking, macrophages and IBD:  What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Scott Plevy, MD

2013: ‟Immune dialogue with the microbiota: maintaining peace at the mucosal surface.” Charles O. Elson III, MD

2014: ‟Effects of surgical anastomosis on enteric bacteria, motility, and quality of life in Crohn’s disease.” David G. Binion, MD

2015: “Clinical Implications of Enteric Serotonergic Signaling: Get it Right or the Bowel goes Bad.” Michael D. Gershon, MD

2016: “Diet, the Gut Microbiome, and its Metabo-lome in Health and Disease. ” Gary D. Wu, MD

2017: “The Dawn of Translation in Hepatic Fibrosis and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis.” Scott L. Friedman, MD

2018: “Innovations in the Pancreatic Research Program in the United States.” Stephen J. Pandol, MD 

2019: “Can We Cure Inflammatory Bowel Disease?” Maria T. Abreu, MD

2020: "Immune Pathways in Pancreatitis and IBD."  Dr. Aida Habtezion 

2021: "Mechanism-based opportunities for therapeutic mucosal barrier regulation."   Jerrold R. Turner, MD, PhD

2023: “Assessing Clinical Effectiveness for treatment of liver diseases at the Food and Drug Administration: Translating law into medical therapy.”  Frank A. Anania, MD

2024: "Venous and lymphatic outflow from the intestine and its connection to chronic inflammatory disease" Gwendalyn J. Randolph, PhD

2025: “Development and repair in gastrointestinal epithelia.” Dr. Ophir Klein

Julius Wenger Memorial Lecture in GI Endoscopy

Occurs every December.  The Dr. Julius Wenger Memorial Lecture honors the life and legacy of Dr. Wenger (1925–2013), a distinguished gastroenterologist, educator, and leader whose decades of service shaped academic medicine at Emory University, the Atlanta VA Medical Center, and Grady Memorial Hospital. A devoted physician, mentor, and advocate for patients, Dr. Wenger was deeply respected by colleagues, trainees, and the many individuals whose lives he touched through his clinical care and leadership in professional and community organizations. This lecture is established to celebrate his commitment to excellence in medicine, education, and compassionate patient care, and to inspire future generations to uphold the same standards of integrity, service, and dedication that defined his career. 

2023: “Colon Polyps: The End is In Sight.”  Jerome D. Waye, MD

2024:  “Defining and Performing High Quality Colonoscopy in 2025.”  Douglas K. Rex, MD

2025:  “When to Suspect a Hereditary Adenomatous Polyposis Syndrome: A Case-Based Approach to Diagnosis and Management.”  Carol A. Burke

Bettye Rose Connell Lecture 

The Bettye Rose Connell Lecture takes place every April. 

A lecture series fostering collaboration in scientific and clinical rehabilitation in environment, aging, and dementia. Established in 2009, the Bettye Rose Connell Memorial Lecture series commemorates Dr. Connell’s dedication to improving the lives of vulnerable elders. Each spring, distinguished regional and national researchers are invited to Emory University and the Atlanta VA Medical Center to honor her legacy and promote continued scholarship in this field.

2011: “Environment and Aging Research: Past, Present and Future” - Eleanor "Ellie" McConnell, RN, MSN, PhD 

2012: "Am I Where I Want to Be? Impacts of the Long Term Care Environment on the Spatial Behavior of Residents with Dementia" - Margaret "Maggie" Calkins, PhD

2013: "Loss of Mobility is NOT Normal Aging!" - Stephanie Studenski, MD, MPH

2014: "Brain and Exercise" - Art Kramer, PhD

2015: "Caring for Persons with Dementia and Family Caregivers: The State of the Science and Innovative Approaches" - Laura Gitlin, PhD

2016: “Translating Reduced Fall Risks for Older Adults: Real-World Applications” - Neil Alexander, MD, MS

2017: “Technology and Aging: State of the Science” - Alex Mihailidis, PhD

2018: "Preventing Hospital Falls: Balancing Vigilance, Autonomy, Cost, and Gravity" - Ronald Shorr, MD, MS

2019: "Depression and Quality of Life in Late Life Chronic Illness: Findings from the EQUAL Study" - Patricia Parmelee, PhD

2020: "Transforming Infection Prevention in Long-Term Care: Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic" - Nimalie Stone, MD

2021: “COVID-19 and U.S. Nursing Homes: Implications for the Future” - Vincent Mor, PhD

2022: "Keys to Successful Aging" - Joseph Ouslander, MD

2023: "The Role of Technology in Supporting Family Caregivers" - Sara J. Czaja, PhD

2024: "Painting a Bett-r Rose-y Picture: Don't 'fall' for substitutes: 'Know' your surroundings!" - Steven L. Wolf, PhD

• Dr. William E. Mitch lecture
• Dr. Juha P. Kokko lecture

• Emory University 2026 Doyt L. Conn Lecture