HISTORY:
HPW Center for Diabetes was first conceived by Dr. Isaiah Pittman IV, a Chicago South-Side native, while he was a staff physician/scientist at the University of Chicago. Dr. Pittman felt that there should be local community outreach by the Endocrinology department addressing what he saw at that time (between 2000-2004) as a “full fledged diabetes epidemic.” Dr. Pittman had the fortune of having several meetings with former First Lady - Michelle Obama on the subject, who at the time was an executive at the University of Chicago and had similar views. Frustrated with his department’s section-head, who was not interested in community outreach, or Dr. Pittman’s strong commitment to patient care and only saw Dr. Pittman as a successful young scientist, Dr. Pittman started making plans to leave the University.
Dr. Pittman had an almost life long history of science achievements in the city of Chicago, which started as a 12 year old boy winning the city and state wide competition in science in the area of Physics and a plaque that remained on display for decades in Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry. As a teenage participant in the Chicago Area Health and Medical Careers Program, Isaiah worked with Hematology researcher Dr. Joe Dicimon at the University of Illinois in Chicago. Dr. Dicimon’s mentorship was critical in the exposure and involvement of young Isaiah in world class research witnessing the discovery, treatment, and use of hydroxyurea to treat sickle cell disease. Isaiah decided on chemistry as a college major and attended Illinois Institute of Technology. There he worked with research scientists, and just as impressive to Isaiah, superb instructors like: Robert Filler, Kenneth Schugg, and Peter Lykos. It was the work on organic molecular synthesis and structural analysis in Dr. Bob Filler’s lab and inspiration upon meeting William McDade, an MD/PhD student at the University of Chicago, that convince Isaiah that he should pursue a joint MD-PhD degree, which he started at the University of Chicago, after receiving his Bachelor of Science degre with honors from Illinois Institute of Technology department of Chemistry with a minor in Biochemistry.
Upon entering the University of Chicago, Isaiah was focused on peptide chemistry structure and funtion work and was given the name of two scientists by Dr. Author Rubinstein.
Dr. Howard Tager and Dr. Donald Steiner, would mentor and open Isaiah’s eyes to the world of peptide chemistry and molecular structures in a manor that made him unstoppable in accomplishing goals at the University. Dr. Tager was the Chair of Biochemistry at the University of Chicago and internationally recognized having discovered the first genetic mutation of the insulin molecule causing diabetes along with many other molecular and structural mutations affecting insulin and diabetes; and Dr. Donald Steiner was even more famed having discovered the first precursor peptide hormone (Proinsulin) along with a long list of other achievements in diabetes research (C-Peptide and carboxypeptidase discoveries included) making him a Nobel Prize nominee on several occasions and a life long mentor and confidant of young Dr. Pittman. Shockingly, Dr. Tager died when Isaiah was in the first year of his PhD, yet Dr. Steiner pushed the University thesis committee to allow Isaiah to work independently after only a year of formal training in the Department of Biochemistry. The committee agreed and one year later Dr. Pittman published a large paper on insulin structure and function, follow by two other findings that allowed him to complete his thesis in just under 3 years (average was 5-6 years) and return to complete Medical School at the University of Chicago winning the Alumni Award in Science. Isaiah was subsequently invited to England by internationally accomplished X-Ray crystallographers Sir Guy Dodson and Dr. Elanore Dodson to work on an insulin analog synthesis and structural project at the University of York, England which led to further success and recognition, given both Dodson’s previously worked with Nobel Prize winner Dorothy Hodgkin when she crystallized the molecule insulin. Isaiah was allowed to short-track complete his Internal Medicine residency in just 2 years at the University of Illinois in Chicago.
The return to University of Chicago for Endocrinology fellowship training was riddled with success resulting in over $2M in grants as a result of Isaiah’s research efforts, as well as socially based frustrations that helped conceive “HPW Center For Diabetes, Metabolic Disorders, and Preventive Medicine.” A famed Chicago radio personality, Herbert “Cool Gent” Kent, who had previously interviewed and befriended Dr. Pittman, introduced him to prominent businessmen Herbert Hedgeman, and attorney Earl Williams, who had a building they agreed to rent to Dr. Pittman after completing fellowship. He was given a reduced rate on renting the space in exchange for bringing his world class knowledge of diabetes research and practice to the underserved Chicago South-Side community. Although the property was expensive for Dr. Pittman to maintain, and the title holding came under dispute forcing relocation, Dr. Pittman held the name “HPW” in respect for Mr. Hedgeman and Mr. Williams continuing the name Hedgeman-Pittman-Williams (HPW) in Terre Haute, Indiana where he joined Providence Medical Group. Practicing no differently in the Terre Haute community than if he remained at the University of Chicago, utilizing technology to treat diabetes unlike previously seen in the area and discovering genetic variants of diabetes in the community that had been overlooked previously, Dr. Pittman focused on expanding this “Science and Evidence-Based Medicine” approach throughout southern Indiana. Lecturing nationally on diabetes management, biochemistry, and physiology Dr. Pittman is quoted in often stating “...If I am practicing medicine the same way in 5-6 years, I’m doing a disservice to my patients, because medical-research, science, and technology are ever changing. Expect the latest and greatest at HPW Center for Diabetes. We are not your local clinic...”
“The true management of diabetes is not treating hyperglycemia, it is preventing hyperglycemia.” (Isaiah Pittman IV, MD/PhD)
HPW Center for Diabetes was first conceived by Dr. Isaiah Pittman IV, a Chicago South-Side native, while he was a staff physician/scientist at the University of Chicago. Dr. Pittman felt that there should be local community outreach by the Endocrinology department addressing what he saw at that time (between 2000-2004) as a “full fledged diabetes epidemic.” Dr. Pittman had the fortune of having several meetings with former First Lady - Michelle Obama on the subject, who at the time was an executive at the University of Chicago and had similar views. Frustrated with his department’s section-head, who was not interested in community outreach, or Dr. Pittman’s strong commitment to patient care and only saw Dr. Pittman as a successful young scientist, Dr. Pittman started making plans to leave the University.
Dr. Pittman had an almost life long history of science achievements in the city of Chicago, which started as a 12 year old boy winning the city and state wide competition in science in the area of Physics and a plaque that remained on display for decades in Chicago’s Museum of Science & Industry. As a teenage participant in the Chicago Area Health and Medical Careers Program, Isaiah worked with Hematology researcher Dr. Joe Dicimon at the University of Illinois in Chicago. Dr. Dicimon’s mentorship was critical in the exposure and involvement of young Isaiah in world class research witnessing the discovery, treatment, and use of hydroxyurea to treat sickle cell disease. Isaiah decided on chemistry as a college major and attended Illinois Institute of Technology. There he worked with research scientists, and just as impressive to Isaiah, superb instructors like: Robert Filler, Kenneth Schugg, and Peter Lykos. It was the work on organic molecular synthesis and structural analysis in Dr. Bob Filler’s lab and inspiration upon meeting William McDade, an MD/PhD student at the University of Chicago, that convince Isaiah that he should pursue a joint MD-PhD degree, which he started at the University of Chicago, after receiving his Bachelor of Science degre with honors from Illinois Institute of Technology department of Chemistry with a minor in Biochemistry.
Upon entering the University of Chicago, Isaiah was focused on peptide chemistry structure and funtion work and was given the name of two scientists by Dr. Author Rubinstein.
Dr. Howard Tager and Dr. Donald Steiner, would mentor and open Isaiah’s eyes to the world of peptide chemistry and molecular structures in a manor that made him unstoppable in accomplishing goals at the University. Dr. Tager was the Chair of Biochemistry at the University of Chicago and internationally recognized having discovered the first genetic mutation of the insulin molecule causing diabetes along with many other molecular and structural mutations affecting insulin and diabetes; and Dr. Donald Steiner was even more famed having discovered the first precursor peptide hormone (Proinsulin) along with a long list of other achievements in diabetes research (C-Peptide and carboxypeptidase discoveries included) making him a Nobel Prize nominee on several occasions and a life long mentor and confidant of young Dr. Pittman. Shockingly, Dr. Tager died when Isaiah was in the first year of his PhD, yet Dr. Steiner pushed the University thesis committee to allow Isaiah to work independently after only a year of formal training in the Department of Biochemistry. The committee agreed and one year later Dr. Pittman published a large paper on insulin structure and function, follow by two other findings that allowed him to complete his thesis in just under 3 years (average was 5-6 years) and return to complete Medical School at the University of Chicago winning the Alumni Award in Science. Isaiah was subsequently invited to England by internationally accomplished X-Ray crystallographers Sir Guy Dodson and Dr. Elanore Dodson to work on an insulin analog synthesis and structural project at the University of York, England which led to further success and recognition, given both Dodson’s previously worked with Nobel Prize winner Dorothy Hodgkin when she crystallized the molecule insulin. Isaiah was allowed to short-track complete his Internal Medicine residency in just 2 years at the University of Illinois in Chicago.
The return to University of Chicago for Endocrinology fellowship training was riddled with success resulting in over $2M in grants as a result of Isaiah’s research efforts, as well as socially based frustrations that helped conceive “HPW Center For Diabetes, Metabolic Disorders, and Preventive Medicine.” A famed Chicago radio personality, Herbert “Cool Gent” Kent, who had previously interviewed and befriended Dr. Pittman, introduced him to prominent businessmen Herbert Hedgeman, and attorney Earl Williams, who had a building they agreed to rent to Dr. Pittman after completing fellowship. He was given a reduced rate on renting the space in exchange for bringing his world class knowledge of diabetes research and practice to the underserved Chicago South-Side community. Although the property was expensive for Dr. Pittman to maintain, and the title holding came under dispute forcing relocation, Dr. Pittman held the name “HPW” in respect for Mr. Hedgeman and Mr. Williams continuing the name Hedgeman-Pittman-Williams (HPW) in Terre Haute, Indiana where he joined Providence Medical Group. Practicing no differently in the Terre Haute community than if he remained at the University of Chicago, utilizing technology to treat diabetes unlike previously seen in the area and discovering genetic variants of diabetes in the community that had been overlooked previously, Dr. Pittman focused on expanding this “Science and Evidence-Based Medicine” approach throughout southern Indiana. Lecturing nationally on diabetes management, biochemistry, and physiology Dr. Pittman is quoted in often stating “...If I am practicing medicine the same way in 5-6 years, I’m doing a disservice to my patients, because medical-research, science, and technology are ever changing. Expect the latest and greatest at HPW Center for Diabetes. We are not your local clinic...”
“The true management of diabetes is not treating hyperglycemia, it is preventing hyperglycemia.” (Isaiah Pittman IV, MD/PhD)
“Science and Evidence-Based Medicine at its Best!”
HPW Center for Diabetes, Metabolic Disorders, and Preventive Medicine
(founded by Isaiah Pittman IV, MD/PhD)