Physician. Teacher, Inventor. These are just a few of many roles that Fred Lee Jr., MD has embraced throughout his career with the University of Wisconsin Department of Radiology. He is widely recognized as a passionate advocate for advancing the field, whether it’s through improving patient care, mentoring the next generation of radiologists, or translating groundbreaking research.
This spirit of excellence embodies the newly established Fred Lee, Jr., MD Professorship of Abdominal Imaging and Intervention. Made possible by a generous gift from Dr. Lee, the endowed professorship will support the research of a faculty member in the Section of Abdominal Imaging and Intervention. Dr. Lee has been steadfast in his belief that UW Radiology is one of the best and brightest departments, and the professorship will ensure that it continues to be a driving force for innovation.
In part, Dr. Lee was inspired to donate funds to create the professorship to help support others who have novel ideas. He often cites that his success is due to the support he received throughout his career.
“All of our chairs have been huge supporters, from Joe Sackett who helped purchase our first ablation equipment, Pat Turski who didn’t fire me when I lost a rat in the CT scanner and gave me my first leadership position as abdomen section chief, Tom Grist who encouraged the translation of our ideas into products that have changed the world, and now Scott Reeder who is pushing us to get histotripsy into widespread clinical use. This is a special place, and we shouldn’t take it for granted.”
There is no doubt that Dr. Lee has made a lasting impact on both the department and the field of radiology itself. With the establishment of the Fred Lee Jr., MD Professorship of Abdominal Imaging and Intervention; the department looks forward to the next generation of novel ideas that Dr. Lee’s legacy will inspire.
Several of Dr. Lee’s colleagues and collaborators shared their insight into how he has helped shape the department and make a difference in the lives of patients worldwide.
Thomas Grist, MD, former department chair:
“Dr. Fred Lee combines his clinical acumen, creativity, and transformative leadership to improve the health of his patients and raise the level of health care provided by his colleagues near and far. As section chief, he transformed the Abdominal Imaging and Intervention section into one of the world’s most recognized team of leaders in the field.
As vice chair for clinical operations for UW Radiology, he helped the department become a clinical leader within UW Health and applied his creative energy in areas well beyond his immediate clinical interests. Finally, as an inventor and entrepreneur, Dr. Lee successfully navigated the complex world of technology development and commercialization to disseminate his research for the benefit of countless cancer patients throughout the world.
As his professional colleague for the past three decades, I can think of few others who demonstrated such a transformative impact on our field. Fred truly embodies the Wisconsin Idea in action.”
Michael Tuite, MD, longtime colleague of Dr. Lee:
“Fred Lee was a year ahead of me as a resident at the University of Rochester, New York. Even then Fred was super smart and ambitious, so I knew he was destined to be one of the top abdominal radiologists when he joined UW–Madison. Fred’s enthusiasm for UW Radiology got me excited to join a year later, and in those early years when Fred, Tom Grist and I would be on a fishing trip sitting around the campfire he would always proclaim in his understated way that ‘We’re making UW the best radiology department in the country.’ Fred truly made the Abdominal section the best in the country!”
Erica Knavel Koepsel, MD, current chief of the Section of Interventional Radiology and former mentee of Dr. Lee:
“Fred is a force. He is brilliant, contagiously inspiring, and operates on a level we can only hope to reach. Fred took a chance on me as a medical student and changed my career trajectory. It was his strong mentorship that set the tone, fair and tough but always having fun. Fred is the greatest advocate and sponsor, not just for me, but for those who have the opportunity to work with him. We stand on his shoulders of greatness; and I am honored to be his mentee, colleague and friend.”
Daniel Van Der Weide, PhD, professor of engineering and longtime collaborator of Dr. Lee:
“I first met Fred through our kids and being in the same Nakoma neighborhood of Madison. We soon found a shared interest in solving immediate clinical problems with rigorous engineering. Fred would identify these needs, and I would propose solutions borne out of naïveté that once in a while showed some promise. Fred had an unusually clear way of articulating unmet clinical needs, not in abstract terms, but grounded in what actually happens in procedures. Furthermore, his enthusiasm and care for patients is infectious, in the best way possible.
What many people do not see behind the scenes is how deeply Fred would engage in the problem-solving process, which is the essence of engineering. With both NeuWave and Elucent, he was not just a clinical advisor but a true co-inventor. He challenged assumptions, pushed for simplicity and reliability, and constantly asked how a technology would behave in the hands of a busy clinician. Those conversations fundamentally shaped the designs and helped ensure that the systems we built were not just technically elegant, but clinically relevant. His willingness to take the long view and not the short-term easy way out was what kept us going in the early days.
Some of my favorite memories working with Fred are working in the animal lab, especially when we tried low-cost but somewhat less polished microwave power generation techniques that would generate sparks, burnishing my mad-scientist bona fides in his eyes. We held many candid discussions where medicine, engineering and management of a startup all got balanced attention. He has brought humility, curiosity, and an unwavering focus on patient outcomes to every interaction. Fred had a rare ability to bridge disciplines and people, and that is a big part of why both NeuWave and Elucent succeeded in moving from ideas to technologies that have helped tens of thousands of patients.”
