The American Pediatric Society (APS) has announced the election of 92 new members, including three from University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Department of Pediatrics. The highly regarded academic pediatric organization will recognize new members at a gala to be held during the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) meeting in Boston April 24-27, 2026.
Congratulations to:
David Dickens, MD, clinical professor in the Division of Hematology-Oncology and director of Pediatric Oncology Services with UI Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Dickens holds the University of Iowa Dance Marathon Endowed Chair in Pediatric Oncology, Clinical and Translational Research. He explores ways to improve care and outcomes for adolescent and young adult cancer patients.
Patrick Sinn, PhD, professor in the Division of Pulmonary Medicine and faculty director of the UI's Viral Vector Core. A virologist with special expertise in measles, Sinn's research explores mechanisms of viral entry in the lungs with the goal of using that knowledge for disease prevention or gene therapy applications.
Lane Strathearn, MBBS, PhD, professor in the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. He is Physician Director of the Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD), co-director of the University of Iowa Autism Center, and co-director of the Hawkeye Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center. He studies developmental, behavioral, and genetic risk markers for autism and uses tools like brain imaging, eye-tracking, and hormone analysis, to better understand how parents respond to their children—especially in situations involving stress, substance use, or developmental challenges like autism.
The APS seeks members who are "child health leaders of extraordinary achievement who work together to strengthen academic pediatrics by expanding the workforce, nurturing leaders, and developing innovative approaches to address child and adolescent health challenges."
Department Chair Alexander Bassuk, MD, PhD, says the members-elect reflect highly on the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine and its core values. "Drs. Dickens, Sinn, and Strathearn represent our mission to pioneer research, advance clinical care, and train the next generation of pediatric specialists. As an academic institution, it's important to be leaders, and also to share our knowledge to improve pediatric care beyond Iowa. I thank David, Patrick, and Lane for their commitment to excellence and collaboration."
To view the full list of new APS members, read the official announcement.
