Dr. Stephen Daniels Joins Children’s as Pediatrician-In-Chief
from Practice Update, Spring 2006
Dr. Stephen R. Daniels assumed his new role as Pediatrician-in- Chief and the L. Joseph Butterfield Chair in Pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital on March 1. He will also serve as Professor of Pediatrics and Preventative Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Steve Daniels did his undergraduate work at the University of Rochester and then went to medical school at the University of Chicago. He completed his residency and fellowship in cardiology in Cincinnati and earned a masters in public health from Harvard and a PhD in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He is board certified in pediatrics. Dr. Daniels currently serves as the chairman of the Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young for the American Heart Association and is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition. He is an associate editor for the Journal of Pediatrics.
Prior to coming to Denver, Dr. Daniels was a professor of Pediatrics and Environmental Health and Associate Chair of Pediatrics at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center . There, he directed the pediatric lipid and hypertension clinics and was the medical director for HealthWorks! , a cutting-edge intervention program for overweight children and teens. Dr. Daniels’ research interests lie in childhood obesity and how obesity relates to cardiovascular abnormalities in the young, including problems with blood pressure, cholesterol and heart function. Dr. Daniels explains that “more and more we are finding that adult cardiovascular disease has its roots in childhood. Interventions in childhood and adolescence can help prevent the most serious effects of cardiovascular disease later in life.”
Asked why he chose pediatric medicine for a career, Dr. Daniels fondly remembered his own childhood pediatrician at the University of Chicago, “My perception, even as a small child, was that this man was doing important work, helping kids live healthy, happy lives. So from a young age, medicine, and specifically medicine focusing on children, seemed a good path, something to aspire to.”
Dr. Daniels goes on to explain the appeal of coming to Denver, “Academic pediatric medicine offers the advantage of combining research with clinical application to improve the health of children.” In accepting the offer to come to Children’s in Colorado, Dr. Daniels notes that the School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics is one of the strongest in the country and that the Fitzsimons medical campus, with its additional research capacity, further expands the opportunity to influence pediatric healthcare advances far into the future. Even though The Children’s Hospital has a long, distinguished history, the new hospital is, well…new. It’s an open door, a new chance to discover and implement tomorrow’s cures and therapies.
“With my new duties as Pediatrician-in-Chief, I’m not sure how much time I’ll have for research, says Steve Daniels. “I suppose a lot of the excitement around research will become vicarious. But, some of the top physician scientists in the country are here in Denver, so I hope there will be opportunities for collaboration. I’m sure there will be no lack of exciting research news.”
When asked how he sees the future of The Children’s Hospital and the University’s Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Daniels said “We have a great reputation to build upon. I don’t get the feeling that people are complacent about or satisfied with what has been accomplished to date. There is a sense of progress and opportunity; a commitment to move forward. Especially with the Fitzsimons campus build out, expectations have been heightened. I think Denver is the place to be over the next decade. I happily spent the early part of my career in Cincinnati, but the opportunity here at Children’s and at the University is irresistible. Certainly, there will be adjustments to make, both for the institution and for me personally, but I look forward to working with colleagues across the organization and in the community to fulfill our great potential.”
Dr. Daniels and his wife, Dee, have four children, Zach, 21; Barrett, 19; Carlen, 18; and Mariah, 14, who keep them busy with soccer, football, concerts, plays and other activities. They are all looking forward to the cultural and outdoor activities that Denver offers. Dee is an advanced practice nurse in Neurology and will begin work at Children’s this summer.
Dr. Steve Daniels can be reached at daniels.stephen@tchden.org.
