For as long as he can remember, Jeremy Rich (’85) has been interested in science. Now, his passion has paid off.

Rich will be inducted to the Association of American Physicians April 28 as one of 60 candidates elected into the organization each year. He is the chairman of the Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at the Lerner Research Institute in Cleveland.

“The AAP is a terrific organization that seeks to have physicians who want to push our knowledge and work together to make things better,” Rich said.

The AAP is an international organization that works toward the advancement of medical knowledge through experimentation and its application to clinical medicine. Members share their scientific discoveries at an annual meeting.

Rich’s interest in science developed while at Whitman. He took nearly every science class available and enjoyed chemistry the most. He appreciated being challenged by his classmates, some of whom have also gone into careers in medicine as well.

“I remember the great teachers who helped stimulate my interest in both science and the possibility to use knowledge to make a difference,” Rich said. “It was also great to have such smart classmates.”

After high school, Rich majored in electrical engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. He went on to graduate from Duke University School of Medicine in 1993 and finished his residency at Johns Hopkins University in 1997. Rich then returned to Duke to complete his fellowship and worked there until joining the Lerner Research Institute in 2008.

Rich’s work focuses on one of the most lethal forms of brain cancer and brain tumors, similar to the kind that killed Senator Ted Kennedy. He enjoys helping others overcome their illnesses.

“As a physician-scientist, I have the best job in the world because every patient is both a mystery and an opportunity to help someone,” he said. “I treat patients with a deadly cancer, but it’s very meaningful to help them when sometimes others have given up.”

Rich said he wants to contribute as much as he can to the AAP and improve medicine in the future. He also hopes to educate the future generation of physicians so they can continue to improve the well-being of people.

“I hope to add my voice to make human health better,” he said. “Treating patients is just one great thing I am honored to do.”