James R. Downing

James R. Downing is an American pediatric oncologist and executive. He is the president and chief executive officer of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

James R. Downing
Born
Detroit, Michigan
CitizenshipUS
EducationUniversity of Michigan
Partner(s)Mariea Downing
Children3
Scientific career
InstitutionsSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Early life and education

James R. Downing was born to parents Lillian and Robert W. Downing and grew up in Detroit, Michigan with five siblings.[1][2] Downing enjoyed playing football and baseball while he attended Aquinas High School, and initially hoped to play baseball professionally. In the summer after graduating high school, he broke his back while working a construction job. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, where he initially majored in engineering before switching to biochemistry.[3] He stayed at UM to finish a Doctor of Medicine in 1981.[4]

Career

Following his Doctor of Medicine, he completed a medical residency in anatomic pathology at Washington University in St. Louis. He then completed a fellowship in hematopathology at the University of Florida. In 1986, Downing began working at the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. On July 15, 2014, he became the chief executive officer at St. Jude, making him the sixth person to hold the position.[2]

He was one of the inaugural co-editors of the Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease, though only held the position for the first volume in 2006.[5]

Awards and honors

In 2003 he was elected as a member of the Association of American Physicians and American Association for the Advancement of Science. He later joined the National Academy of Medicine (2013) and American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2016).[4]

Personal life

He is married to Mariea Downing; the couple has three children and five grandchildren.[2]

References
  1. "Lillian Downing". The Detroit News. August 29, 2004. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  2. "James R. Downing, MD". St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  3. Murtaugh, Frank (July 2, 2014). "St. Jude's James Downing". Memphis the City Magazine. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  4. "James R. Downing, MD". St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  5. "Annual Review of Pathology: Mechanisms of Disease. Volume 1: 2006. Edited by Abul K Abbas, James R Downing, and , Vinay Kumar. Palo Alto (California): Annual Reviews. $55.00. Xii + 552 p; ill.; subject index. ISBN: 0‐8243‐4301‐8. 2006". The Quarterly Review of Biology. 81 (3): 314. 2006. doi:10.1086/509485.
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