Class of 1958 Bios

LENORE S. LEVINE, M.D., Class of 1958

Following Pediatric training at Bellevue Hospital and The New York Hospital, and some time off and part-time work while my children were young, I trained in Pediatric Endocrinology at The New York Hospital – Cornell Medical Center and stayed on as an attending. I was very involved in clinical research as well as teaching and medical care, and I ultimately became Professor of Pediatrics, Associate Director of Pediatric Endocrinology and Director of the Pediatric Clinical Research Center. The Clinical research investigations of the division focused primarily on disorders of the adrenal gland and hypertension but also included disorders of the adrenal glad and hypertension but also included disorders of growth and puberty. In the 1970’s, my colleagues and I mapped the gene for congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21 hydroxylase deficiency. This finding resulted in an explosion of studies worldwide and led to a greater understanding of the genetics, clinical spectrum, diagnosis and treatment of the disorder. It was an exciting time!

In 1984, I became the Deputy Director of Pediatrics at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital and Professor of Pediatrics at The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. While continuing my interest in Pediatric Endocrinology, I also assumed administrative responsibilities in the department and was involved in building the teaching and training program in Pediatrics at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital. When the divisions at Presbyterian Hospital and St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital merged, I became the chief of the merged division, and I spent a good deal of time commuting between the two sites. When St. Luke’s-Roosevelt joined the Continuum Healthcare System, I moved full time to CPMC, where I again concentrated on Pediatric Endocrinology, taking care of patients, teaching and participating in clinical research. I retired in 2002.

On the personal side, I have been married for 49 years to Alvin Weseley, who was the chief of the Ob-Gyn Clinic when our class was in medical school. He retired from practice in 2002 also. We had three children: Phoebe, who is married and has two children; Jonathan, who died in 1994, after an accident; and Matthew. I spend time every week with my grandchildren, who help distract me from the pain I feel every day over the loss of Jonathan.