On April 12, Dr. James A. Purdy was the featured speaker at the 15th anniversary of the lectureship named in his honor. Dr.Purdy was the Director of the Washington University School of Medicine Medical Physics Division from 1976-2004. At a highly-attended event, Dr. Purdy spoke about the rich history of the WashU Radiation Oncology Department and momentum as the department continues to move forward in exciting advances.
Many former trainees of Dr. Purdy flew to St. Louis to take part in the event. These trainees and mentees of Dr. Purdy, are now quite distinguished in their own right. In this photo, from left to right, include:
- Dr. Xiaorong Ronald Zhu, Professor and Proton Therapy Center Physics Director, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
- Dr. Zuofeng Li, Professor and Proton Therapy Center Physics Director, University of Florida
- Dr. Daniel Low, Professor and Vice Chair of Medical Physics, University of California at Los Angeles
- Dr. James A. Purdy
- Dr. John W. Wong, Professor and Director of Medical Physics, Johns Hopkins University
- Dr. Sasa Mutic, Vice-Chair, Medical Physics and Clinical Strategy, Director, Medical Physics Division, and Professor, Washington University in St. Louis
- Dr. Eduardo Moros, Senior Member and Chief of Medical Physics Departments of Radiation Oncology and Diagnostic Imaging, Vice Chair, Department of Cancer Physiology at Moffitt Cancer Center and Professor at University of South Florida.
About the experience, Dr. Sasa Mutic said, “Dr. Purdy’s lecture brought back so many memories on how our field developed and the role that he, Dr. Perez, and the entire WashU team had in that. Having Dan Low, Eduardo Moros, John Wong, Ron Zhu, and Zuofeng Li return to St. Louis for the lecture speaks volumes about what Dr. Purdy’s mentorship means to all of us who he trained. I am especially glad that our younger clinicians, physicists, and trainees had a chance to hear first hand from him as I believe that the lecture will have a lasting impact in their careers as well.”
Also that day, a Conference Room in the Department of Radiation Oncology within Siteman Cancer Center was dedicated in honor of Dr. Purdy. He is shown by the newly placed plaque with Dr. Sasa Mutic.