The moments that transformed medicine

Helped lead first U.S. treatment for childhood diabetes

By preparing insulin treatment for a child with diabetes, our researchers led the way in making a once-fatal diagnosis manageable. (1922)

Linked smoking to lung cancer

Smoking was rampant in midcentury America — even in hospitals. Our landmark studies shifted perceptions and sparked a global public health movement. (1950)

Revealed aspirin’s ability to prevent heart attacks

Physicians first showed how low-dose aspirin keeps clots at bay, helping prevent heart attacks — a discovery credited with saving thousands of lives each year. (1973)

Invented the PET scanner  

This groundbreaking invention imaged the brain and showed organs at work, opening a scientific window into our bodies. (1975)

Pioneered a new foundation for physical therapy

Faculty conceived the “movement system” — a framework adopted by the American Physical Therapy Association as the basis for all research, education and patient care initiatives. 

Created the framework that defines modern occupational therapy 

The Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance model originated here, giving occupational therapists a client-centered way to understand how people, their environments and daily activities shaped health and well-being. 

Performed first transplant using donor nerve

Surgeons restored movement to a child with donor nerve tissue from a cadaver, opening a new era for patients with devastating nerve injuries and reshaping peripheral nerve surgery. (1988)

Advanced the Human Genome Project

Our scientists made pivotal contributions to the first-ever “human instruction manual,” paving the way for a bold new era of precision medicine. (1990)

Reshaped nutrition with landmark microbiome science

Medical teams pioneered microbiome-informed nutrition to improve growth and recovery for malnourished children. (2004)

Sequenced the first whole cancer genome 

This landmark study showed that a tumor’s full DNA could reveal the mutations driving cancer — and point us toward more precise ways to diagnose and treat it. (2008) 

Made inoperable brain tumors operable 

Using the first FDA-approved MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy system (LITT), neurosurgeons targeted and treated brain tumors previously deemed inoperable. (2010) 

Redefined mobility for kids with cerebral palsy

Over the course of more than 5,300 surgeries, our surgeons forever refined selective dorsal rhizotomy for children with cerebral palsy, helping thousands of kids walk, play and live more freely. (May 2017)

Reimagined radiation to heal the heart

Researchers used a single, targeted dose of radiation — long reserved for cancer — to stop ventricular tachycardia. This groundbreaking approach to a deadly heart rhythm defied convention, proved effective and is now moving through clinical trials as a potential new life-saving treatment. (December 2017)

Invented blood test to diagnose Alzheimer’s 

A world-changing leap forward in early detection that allowed earlier intervention and an opportunity to tailor targeted treatments to individual patients. (2019)

Performed the first fully robotic liver transplant in the U.S.

Surgeons performed one of medicine’s most complex operations with a minimally invasive robotic approach, reducing pain and helping the patient return to normal daily activities within weeks. (2023)

Developed novel breast cancer vaccine clinical trials

The first-ever fully personalized vaccine — known as a neoantigen DNA vaccine — targeted hard-to-treat triple-negative breast cancer and showed promise for patients. (2024)

Advanced CAR T immunotherapy to fight blood cancer

Scientists engineered a new CAR T-cell therapy that uses healthy donor cells to fight aggressive blood cancers. In early studies, most patients experienced full remission, offering hope for those who have little time and even fewer options. (May 2025)