David Fajgenbaum

David C. Fajgenbaum (born March 29, 1985) is an American immunologist and author who is currently an assistant professor at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. He is most well known for his research into Castleman disease.

Early life and education

David C. Fajgenbaum was born and grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina on March 29, 1985 to a physician father and stay at home mother. Fajgenbaum played football at Ravenscroft School and aspired to play college football growing up.

He was recruited to Georgetown University to play football. Soon after arriving at college, his mother was diagnosed with glioblastoma. She died in October 2004. Fajgenbaum started Actively Moving Forward in memory of his mother to support other grieving college students at Georgetown. In 2005, Fajgenbaum co-founded Actively Moving Forward to support students on college campuses across the nation.

He received a B.S. from Georgetown University, M.Sc. from the University of Oxford, M.D. from the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, and M.B.A. from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He volunteered as executive director of Actively Moving Forward Support Network during college and graduate school. While in graduate school, he married his wife Caitlin; the couple has one child.

While in medical school, Fajgenbaum became critically ill with idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease. Following his third relapse in 2012, Fajgenbaum co-founded the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network and began conducting research into idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease under.

Research

In 2015, Fajgenbaum joined the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania as an assistant professor of medicine and associate director of the Orphan Disease Center, where he remains today.

Fajgenbaum has been a pioneer in the field of Castleman disease, most widely known for the identification of a new treatment approach. In 2014, he discovered increased mTOR signaling in idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease and began testing an mTOR inhibitor on himself to assess its efficacy.

Books

In 2015, Fajgenbaum co-authored and wrote his first book, We Get It: Voices of Grieving College Students and Young Adults. A unique collection of 33 narratives by bereaved students and young adults, We Get It aims to help young adults who are grieving and provide guidance for those who seek to support them.

In September 2019, Fajgenbaum’s second book, Chasing My Cure: A Doctor’s Race to Turn Hope Into Action, was published. Chasing My Cure is a memoir describing Fajgenbaum’s work to spearhead the search for a cure for his disease.

Select awards and honors

• 2006 Good Works Team Selection, American Football Coaches Association
• 2007 BRICK Award, Do Something Organization
• 2007 Joseph L. Allbritton Fellowship, Oxford University, Georgetown University President's Office.
• 2007 First-team Academic All-American, USA Today
• 2008 21st Century Gamble Scholarship, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
• 2008 Make it Matter Story of the Month Reader's Digest
• 2012 Welcome Back Award: Community Service, Eli Lilly & National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
• 2013 Distinguished Service Award, University of Colorado
• 2015 30 Under 30 Healthcare List, Forbes Magazine
• 2015 RARE Champion of Hope - Science, Global Genes
• 2016 Young Friends Atlas Award, World Affairs Council of Philadelphia
• 2016 Fellow, College of Physicians of Philadelphia
• 2016 RareVoice Award: Federal Advocacy - Patient Advocate, EveryLife Foundation & Rare Disease Legislative Advocates
• 2017 100 Great Healthcare Leaders to Know, Becker's Hospital Review
• 2018 Young Investigators Draft Awardee, Uplifting Athletes