Irina Burd, MD, PhD Investiture Program

IRINA BURD, MD PhD
Irina Burd, MD PhD is Professor and
Chair of the Department of Obstetrics,
Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at
the University of Maryland. Her areas of
clinical expertise include high-risk
pregnancy conditions and fetal brain
development. Dr. Burd earned her
undergraduate degree from Rutgers
University. She completed the combined
M.D./Ph.D. program at the Rutgers
University-Robert Wood Johnson Medical
School. She completed her residency in
obstetrics and gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and
performed a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine at the University of
Pennsylvania. Dr. Burd was recruited to the University of Maryland from
the Johns Hopkins University, where Dr. Burd rose through the ranks
from Assistant Professor to Full Professor.
Dr. Burd is a member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the
Society for Reproductive Investigation, and the Perinatal Research
Society. She has published over 150 peer-reviewed research articles and
is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Ikaria Research Award
from the Perinatal Research Society, a research award from the American
Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology/American Association of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation, the Thomas R. Boggs Jr.
Research Award from the Philadelphia Perinatal Society, Passano
Foundation Clinician Scientist Award, SRI President’s Achievement
Award, and ASRI Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Burd is a recipient of
a National Institutes of Health funding from 2009. Dr. Burd served as
Chair of the NICHD Study Section “Obstetrics and Maternal Fetal
Biology” from 2016 to 2021. She is a past President of the Perinatal
Research Society and Immediate Past President of the American Society
for Reproductive Immunology.

WELCOME
Heather S. Culp, JD
Senior Vice President
Chief Philanthropy Officer
University of Maryland Medicine
William F. Regine, MD, FACR, FASTRO, FACRO
Isadore and Fannie Schneider Foxman Chair and Professor
Department of Radiation Oncology
Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
University of Maryland School of Medicine
President, University of Maryland Faculty Physicians, Inc.
Executive Director, Maryland Proton Treatment Center
REMARKS
Mark T. Gladwin, MD
Dean, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Vice President for Medical Affairs, University of Maryland, Baltimore
John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor
DONOR RECOGNITION
Mark T. Gladwin, MD
SPEAKERS
Gloria Bachmann, MD, MMS
Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Medicine
Associate Dean for Women's Health
Co-Director, Women's Health Institute (WHI)
Medical Director of the PROUD Gender Center of NJ
Medical Director of the NJ Commission on Women's Reentry
Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Karin J. Blakemore, MD
Professor of Gynecology & Obstetrics
Director, Prenatal Genetics, Prenatal Diagnostic Center
Johns Hopkins University
MEDAL PRESENTATION
Mark T. Gladwin, MD
REMARKS
Irina Burd, MD, PhD
The Sylvan Frieman, MD Endowed Professor in Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
Chair, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
CLOSING REMARKS
William F. Regine, MD, FACR, FASTRO, FACRO

The Tradition of
ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIPS
T
he first endowed professorships were established more than
500 years ago with the creation of the Lady Margaret chairs
in divinity at Oxford and Cambridge Universities. The
original endowed chairs were sponsored by Lady Margaret,
countess of Richmond, and grandmother of Henry VIII in 1502.
Subsequently, private individuals began making financial contributions
to establish other endowed professorships and chairs such as the
Lucasian Chair of Mathematics, which Sir Isaac Newton held beginning
in 1669. Professor Stephen Hawking, the internationally renowned
physicist and recipient of the 2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom, was
another prominent holder of this endowed chair.
The honor associated with appointment to an endowed position has
remained unchanged for the last 500 years and is recognized as one of
the highest tributes that an academic institution can bestow upon its
most distinguished faculty. These endowed professorships and chairs
continue to reward exceptional scholars uninterrupted to the present
time.
The Office of Development is charged with securing private gifts to
ensure the School’s tradition of excellence is sustained through robust
research, clinical, and educational programs and initiatives. The
University of Maryland School of Medicine is fortunate to have nearly
85 endowed chairs & professorships in various stages of completion
and held by esteemed faculty members.

SYLVAN FRIEMAN, MD
Sylvan Frieman, MD ’53, was a highly respected alumnus
and dedicated supporter of the University of Maryland
School of Medicine. Born and raised in Baltimore, he had
deep roots in the community and made significant
contributions to the field of obstetrics, gynecology, and
reproductive sciences. He dedicated his life to the field of
medicine, leaving behind an indelible legacy as a clinician,
educator, and philanthropist.
After graduating from Baltimore City College and the
University of Maryland College Park, Dr. Frieman pursued
his medical education at the School of Medicine, graduating
in 1953. Following his graduation, he interned at D.C.
General Hospital in Washington, D.C., then served in the
U.S. Air Force for two years, stationed in Ohio. It was during his service that he
discovered his passion for obstetrics and gynecology. After being discharged with the
rank of captain, he returned to Baltimore and completed a three-year OB/GYN
residency at Lutheran Hospital before entering private practice.
Throughout his career, Dr. Frieman held senior attending positions at prestigious
hospitals such as Sinai, Church Home, Franklin Square, and Harbor Hospitals. He also
served as the medical director for The Central Maryland Surgery Center. In addition to
his clinical work, he shared his expertise as an instructor at the Lutheran Hospital of
Maryland School of Nursing and Church Home & Hospital School of Nursing.
Furthermore, he held a clinical assistant professorship at Johns Hopkins University
Hospital, highlighting his commitment to medical education.
In the late 1990s, Dr. Frieman sold his practice to Mercy Medical Center and dedicated
his time to various philanthropic endeavors. He volunteered for organizations such as
HomeCare for the Homeless and served as a mediator in the Maryland attorney
general's office. He continued to teach residents and students at the University of
Maryland School of Medicine as well.
Dr. Frieman's leadership and dedication extended beyond his clinical work. As class
captain for the 1953 graduates, he organized reunions every five years, generously
hosting gatherings at his house, covering the expenses for his classmates. In 1989, he
was elected to the alumni board and eventually became president of the Medical
Alumni Association in 1994. Recognizing his exceptional commitment, he was invited
to join the medical school's board of visitors in the early 1990s and later became its
chairman. He played a significant role in the success of the New Century Medicine
Campaign at the medical school. Additionally, he served on the board of trustees of the
University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation, Inc.
In 1985, Dr. Frieman established an endowed perinatology research fund within the
department of OB/GYN, demonstrating his commitment to advancing medical research.
Two decades later, he further contributed by establishing an endowed professorship, the
Sylvan Frieman, MD Endowed Professorship in Obstetrics, Gynecology &
Reproductive Sciences. His contributions were recognized through various awards,
including the 1998 Medical Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award and the
2006 University of Maryland Illustrious Alumni Award.