About Us
Loveena Dookhony
Timothy Woods
Robbie Burda
ANESTHESIOLOGIST CONDUCTS GENOMICS RESEARCH
BILL HARTMAN, CLASS OF 1994
When Bill Hartman transferred from Marquette University, he wanted a small liberal arts experience and motivation to be a successful student. He found professors who inspired him to work hard and connected him with opportunities that helped shape his future as a doctor and researcher. “The person who had the most profound impact on me was Chemistry Professor Bill Martin, who taught organic and biochemistry,” Bill says. “He made an effort to know every single one of us by name. I never worked so hard as I did in his class. I felt like I didn’t want to disappoint him. I don’t think anyone has done as much for me.”
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Lake Forest College students forge close bonds with faculty who challenge and inspire.
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As a biology major, Bill was interested in conducting research when another one of his professors put him in touch with a cancer researcher who was looking for student assistance at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. His research turned into a senior thesis, and following graduation, Bill earned a Ph.D. in pharmacology and molecular biology and a medical degree at the same institution.
Now a practicing anesthesiologist at the Mayo Clinic, Bill continues to conduct research in genomics. “We figure out how to personalize or tailor medicine,” he explains. “We focus on trying to figure out how different medicines work in individuals because people have different ways of metabolizing drugs. Based on that we ask if they need more or less to see if that improves the outcome.”
When he thinks back to his time at Lake Forest, it was the individual attention that helped the most. “At no point did I feel like I was a number out there,” he says. “The extra personal attention pushed me to develop as a student and do the best I can.”