Benitz named to new Sunshine professorship

By JOYCE THOMAS

William E. Benitz, MD, professor of pediatrics at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, was named the first Philip Sunshine, MD, Professor of Neonatology.

Benitz, a clinical investigator in neonatology, is known for his work on early markers for disease in newborns and the evaluation and prevention of neonatal Group B streptococcal infection.

A graduate of Stanford School of Medicine, class of 1978, Benitz served as a resident in pediatrics, then chief resident and later as a postdoctoral fellow in the division of neonatal and developmental medicine, all at Stanford.

Benitz joined the faculty in 1985 and became professor in 1999. He is the director of the Packard Children’s Hospital nursery system and associate chief of the division of neonatal and developmental medicine at the medical school.

The professorship, established in November through a gift from the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, honors pediatrics professor emeritus Sunshine for his work in neonatology and his accomplishments as a clinician, scientist and teacher.

Sunshine, the Harold K. Faber Professor of Pediatrics from 1980 to 1989, began his career at Stanford as a resident in pediatrics.

He subsequently served as chief resident, received an appointment to the faculty in 1963 and directed neonatology from 1967 to 1989.

Sunshine then left to serve on the University of Southern California faculty; after four years he returned to Stanford and resumed teaching in 1993.