MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Chester Brown, MD, PhD, Genetics Division Chief at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and professor of Pediatrics, professor of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, is listed among “1,000 Inspiring Black Scientists in America,” by the journal, Cell Mentor, which is affiliated with Cell Press.
The list was compiled by The Community of Scholars, made up of members of the group Persons Excluded because of their Ethnicity or Race (PEER), including postdoctoral fellows, early-stage investigators, instructors and consultants.
“This post is for the present, but it is also a foundation for the future,” the Community of Scholars noted in its introduction to the list. “This is for our brothers and sisters that believed that they were alone in the struggle or did not know that there were others like them. For the Black scientists whose quirkiness was ridiculed not accepted. We hope that this post enables the next generation to fulfill their need to change the world.”
“It is an honor to be included among a group of scientists representing such a broad diversity of early life experiences, stages of career development and scientific interests, while sharing the common practices of being underestimated, yet simultaneously committed to excellence and lifting up those that follow,” Dr. Brown said.
“The group would not exist had it not been for the foundation laid by great scientists from generations past: Harold Amos, PhD, the first African American chairman appointed at Harvard University (Bacteriology, 1968), and Warren Henry, PhD, internationally respected physicist with over 100 publications in solid-state physics and magnetism, physics professor of the Tuskegee Airmen, and dedicated childhood mentee of George Washington Carver,” Dr. Brown said. “Both men achieved highly despite seemingly insurmountable obstructionism — Dr. Henry having to sneak into the NIH at night with the aid of a friend and colleague to carry out experiments because of the racial policies of the time. I had the privilege of knowing them both. They are a constant reminder of the obligation that all of us have to the next generation of up-and-coming scientists from diverse communities, whose barriers may not be as clearly evident, but nonetheless still exist. In light of current political divisiveness, networks such as these and those that support them are critical if we are to ever achieve the American ideal.”
“Our experts at Le Bonheur are dedicated to advancing knowledge in how to prevent and treat pediatric disease. At the forefront of this cause is our Chief of Genetics, Dr. Chester Brown, and we’re so proud to see his well-deserved recognition on the list of 1,000 inspiring Black scientists in the U.S.,” said Le Bonheur President and CEO Michael Wiggins. “Dr. Brown not only provides excellent care for children with genetic disorders but also leads groundbreaking research that helps us do what’s best for children today and in the future.”
The full journal article in can be accessed in .
About Le Bonheur Children’s:
Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., treats children through community programs, regional clinics and a 255-bed state-of-the-art hospital. Le Bonheur serves as a primary teaching affiliate for the University Tennessee Health Science Center and trains more than 350 pediatricians and specialists each year. Nationally recognized, Le Bonheur is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a Best Children’s Hospital.
For more information, please call (901) 287-6030 or visit lebonheur.org. Connect with us at , or on Instagram at .
About University of Tennessee Health Science Center:
As Tennessee’s only public, statewide, academic health system, the mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health through education, research, clinical care, and public service, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region. The main campus in Memphis includes six colleges: Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. UTHSC also educates and trains medicine, pharmacy, and/or health professions students, as well as medical residents and fellows, at major sites in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Nashville. For more information, visit . Find us on Facebook: , on Twitter: and on Instagram: .
