Almonds, Kindness, and Endocrinology: An evening with Professor Jerry Greenfield

What do Mandelbaum House and diabetes research have in common? 

Almonds!

At our second formal dinner of the semester, Mandelbaum House had the honour of hosting Professor Jerry Greenfield, a highly accomplished endocrinologist whose work focuses heavily on diabetes research and treatment.

The evening began with residents Logan Culley and Gianna Francis leading a warm Acknowledgment of Country, honouring the Gadigal lands of the Eora Nation on which Mandelbaum House stands.

Danielle Jaku-Greenfield, wife of Professor Greenfield and granddaughter of the late Eddie Jaku, then took the floor to present the Eddie Jaku OAM Mensch Prize. This prize is awarded to a resident who embodies what it means to be a mensch: an individual who leads with kindness, integrity, and genuine care for everyone around them. This year, 11 residents were nominated, with several receiving multiple nominations. Of the 11, three were selected as runner ups for their positive contributions to Mandelbaum House: Logan Culley, Betsy Ryan, and Cara Beck.

One resident stood out for his “qualities of integrity, honour, compassion, and forgiveness.” From an anonymous nomination, a resident described this year’s winner as “a genuine close friend of mine…[who] will willingly go out of his way to project these qualities toward others in an altruistic way… he happily has the time to sit down and spend time with someone, check in with them, and is always willing to offer his help…”

This year’s Eddie Jaku OAM Mensch Prize winner is Marc Koshy!

Following an introduction from Cara Beck, Professor Greenfield began an inspiring presentation of the Top 5 Highlights of His Professional Life, giving residents a firsthand look into the work, relationships, and research that entail the life of an endocrinologist.

After his own Acknowledgment of Country, Professor Greenfield shared that the first highlight of his professional career is attending the Kellion Award ceremony for his Indigenous patient who had type 1 diabetes for 60 years. This is an event put on by Diabetes Australia that recognizes the individuals who have lived with type 1 or type 2 diabetes for 50+ years.

He also drew a connection between the name of our residential college, Mandelbaum House, and his own diabetes research. “Mandelbaum” is the family name of our house’s founder, Rachel Mandelbaum. However, it also stands for “almond tree.” Interestingly, Professor Greenfield shared that the ingestion of almonds at mealtime can help prevent the rise in blood sugar after eating, and eating almonds regularly may lower hemoglobin A1C in people with well-controlled type 2 diabetes.

The second highlight of his professional career is his PhD supervision. Professor Greenfield is a Professor of Medicine at the University of New South Wales who has helped a number of students obtain their PhDs through his careful support and humorous memes.

The third highlight of Professor Greenfield’s career is his postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge, where he worked in the Departments of Medicine and Clinical Biochemistry. It is there where he researched obesity, leptin, and co-authored an article titled “Modulation of Blood Pressure by Central Melanocortinergic Pathways.”

His fourth highlight is The Diabetes Regional Education, Access and Management (DREAM) initiative. As the Head of the Department of Endocrinology and Director of Diabetes Services at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, Dr. Greenfield founded and directs this initiative in order to provide rural and regional communities in New South Wales with expert specialists in diabetes care. His team of endocrinologists travel to local regional clinics and provide in depth-patient consultations for individuals with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and other health needs.

The last and most heartfelt highlight of Professor Greenfield’s career are the relationships he develops with patients. As an endocrinologist, he oftentimes meets struggling patients in their youth and remains present in their lives as they go through their education, get married, and experience immense shifts in personal growth. In one compelling story, we learned of an individual who overcame claustrophobia during his time as Professor Greenfield’s patient.

As revealed by Professor Greenfield’s highlights, the life of an endocrinologist is not limited to a doctor’s office. One can truly accomplish many feats – educational and passion-based – while working in one’s primary field. May this talk serve as a reminder that our opportunities are truly endless, and that we can accomplish anything we set our minds to (bonus points if we embrace the mentality of a mensch!).

A special thank you to Professor Jerry Greenfield and Danielle Jaku-Greenfield for joining us at Mandelbaum House for this special evening, and a big congratulations to Marc Koshy for being Mandelbaum’s Mensch Prize winner!

Article by: Nikol Krol (Mandelbaum resident)

Photography: Jarvis Chen (Mandelbaum resident)