August 8, 2002
John Harlan named to Finch Endowed Professorship
Dr. John M. Harlan, professor of medicine and head of the Division of Hematology, has become the Clement A. Finch Endowed Professor of Hematology.
Harlan, who came to the UW in 1976 as a hematology fellow, is noted for his work on leukocyte adherence to the endothelium. This mechanism is essential to host defense and injury repair. However, in some circumstances, this same process harms tissues and blood vessels. Harlan is looking at whether anti-adhesion therapies would prevent such damage without compromising normal immune response.
Harlan practices at Harborview Medical Center, where his clinical interests include general hematology, blood cancers, thrombosis and hypercoagulability.
The Finch Professorship honors one of the medical school’s earliest faculty members. Finch was recruited to the UW in 1946 to become the first head of the hematology division at what was then a brand new medical school. He conducted pioneering work on iron metabolism and red cell physiology. He was also devoted to educating medical students and to the training and mentoring of research fellows.
Two of Finch’s former fellows, Drs. Dan Coleman and Alec Stevens, with the help of Dr. John Adamson, also a former fellow, were instrumental in the fundraising effort for the Finch Professorship. More than 100 individuals contributed.
Finch, now professor emeritus of medicine, lives in Cle Elum, Wash.
