Recognizing his profound contributions to the field of radiology, Thomas Grist, MD received two significant honors this fall. The UW School of Medicine and Public Health named Dr. Grist a recipient of the Folkert O. Belzer Award alongside Howard Bailey, MD and Paul Harari, MD. Additionally, the GE HealthCare Foundation gave funds to establish a professorship in his name that will support the UW Department of Radiology’s research initiatives.
Dr. Grist accepted the Folkert O. Belzer Award, the highest honor bestowed by the medical school, during the fall faculty and staff meeting on October 28. The award, named after the former Department of Surgery chair whose work helped revolutionize organ transplantation, recognizes the school’s most outstanding leaders who have significantly impacted the school and academic medicine.
During the ceremony, Dean Robert Golden, MD emphasized that while they practice in different medical disciplines, each recipient is a “quadruple threat” — an outstanding clinician, renowned researcher, deeply respected teacher and mentor, and an effective leader.
Dean Golden also highlighted the impact that Dr. Grist made in the radiology department during his time as chair.
“Our department of radiology rose to the very highest levels of national prominence, garnering significant recognition for its training and research programs. At the same time, the department became renowned for its highly successful partnership with industry leader GE HealthCare.”
The partnership with GE HealthCare continues to thrive, having recently been renewed for another decade. Dr. Grist played a key role in developing this partnership. His work with Charles Mistretta, PhD, on the Time-Resolved MR Angiography (TRICKS) technique and its application to GE HealthCare machines sparked the idea for university researchers and GE HealthCare engineers to collaborate.
Since that pivotal moment, the partnership has led to many more innovations that have improved public health. To celebrate his legacy of innovation in clinical care, imaging research, and education; the GE HealthCare Foundation has given $3 million for the Thomas Grist, MD/GE HealthCare Foundation Distinguished Chair in Radiology Research.
On November 7, GE HealthCare board members celebrated the professorship at the newly opened Eastpark Medical Center. Catherine Estrampes, president and CEO, GE HealthCare in U.S. and Canada; and Dean Golden presented Dr. Grist with a plaque during the celebration to mark the occasion.
Reflecting on his long history with the company, Dr. Grist expressed his gratitude for everyone who helped foster the partnership between UW–Madison and GE HealthCare. “This is all about building bridges between academics and industry and it’s transformational. It’s about how we cross that divide and get across that bridge; and it has clearly been what has made my professional career so exciting and meaningful.”
Dr. Grist concluded with an inspiring message for the future. “For those of you who are going to continue this collaboration, go forth and cross that bridge. I think that together we will do amazing things. We’ll see great things in the future to improve the health of our patients, and that’s what this is really all about.”
View more photos from the Thomas Grist, MD/GE HealthCare Foundation Distinguished Chair in Radiology Research celebration here.