Judith Aberg
Judith Aberg | |
|---|---|
| Born | United States |
| Education | Pennsylvania State University (undergraduate), Cleveland Clinic (residency), Washington University School of Medicine (fellowship) |
| Occupation(s) | Physician, researcher, professor |
| Years active | –present |
| Known for | Research on infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS and COVID-19; Dean of System Operations for Clinical Sciences at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai |
Judith Aberg is a physician from the United States, holding the position of George Baehr Professor of Clinical Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital and serving as Dean of System Operations for Clinical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Her scientific work centers on infectious diseases, with particular emphasis on HIV/AIDS and COVID-19.
Early life and education
Aberg's dedication to medicine was shaped by her father's paralysis following spinal surgery when she was fourteen years old. Overcoming early obstacles such as teenage pregnancy and financial difficulties, she advanced her medical training supported by her partner, who worked as a dentist. She earned her undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University and completed her residency at the Cleveland Clinic, where she was appointed Chief Resident. Her infectious disease specialization was pursued during a fellowship at the Washington University School of Medicine, where she concentrated on enhancing care for people living with HIV (PLWHA) under the guidance of mentor William Powderly.
Research and career
Aberg began her academic career at the University of California, San Francisco, where she led the AIDS Clinical Trial Unit. In this role, she questioned prevailing treatment standards for PLWHA, particularly promoting the cessation of maintenance therapy for mycobacterium avium complex in patients who had immune recovery, thereby impacting clinical guidelines. Her investigations further encompassed HIV-associated complications such as cardiovascular conditions and systemic inflammation.
In 2004, Aberg transitioned to the New York University Grossman School of Medicine and Bellevue Hospital, overseeing virology and AIDS clinical trials aimed at improving patient care through data-driven methods. Since 2014, she has been part of the Mount Sinai Health System, addressing institutional challenges like "cultural taxation" that disproportionately affect women and minorities in medicine, while also drawing attention to disparities in gender-based compensation.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Aberg has played a role in developing treatment approaches, including assessing the effectiveness of convalescent plasma therapy, and participates on the NIH panel responsible for formulating COVID-19 treatment recommendations.
Awards and honors
- 2008 Linda Laubenstein Award (New York)
- 2014 George Baehr Endowed Professorship in Clinical Medicine
- 2018 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Infectious Diseases Society of America
- 2021 Jacobi Medallion
Selected publications
Personal life
During medical school, Aberg separated from her husband who relocated to Saudi Arabia; she subsequently raised their child independently.
External links
- American medical researchers
- Living people
- Pennsylvania State University alumni
- University of California, San Francisco faculty
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai faculty
- 21st-century American physicians
- 21st-century American women physicians
- Fellows of the American College of Physicians
- American women medical researchers
- Washington University in St. Louis fellows
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine faculty