Professor of Radiology, Medical Physics, and the College
Vice-Chair for Basic Science Research Department of Radiology
The University of Chicago
Country of origin: USA
What I do.
I conduct medical imaging research in my National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research laboratory at The University of Chicago, and I direct and teach in our graduate programs in medical physics. I have been involved in medical imaging research since 1980, especially in the areas of digital radiography and computer-aided diagnosis/quantitative analysis. My main areas of such research include breast cancer diagnosis and risk assessment, skeletal imaging, and cardiac CT. 
What I find exciting.
The exciting part is performing research with my students and staff in my lab, including graduate students working toward their PhD, medical students, undergraduate students, and high school students. I enjoy tremendously passing on to a student the excitement and methods of conducting independent research. It is very rewarding to see a graduate student receive their PhD degree and later become my colleague. It is also rewarding to have the results of my research translated and commercialized to ultimately help others.
What I wish someone had told me.
I wish someone had told me not to sweat the small stuff earlier in my career. Find a field you enjoy, work hard, and do your best. It is also important to react to opportunities, help and collaborate with your colleagues, and treat everyone as a team member with potential for significant contributions.