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Dr. Bernstein discusses his early training and developing interest in endocrinology, which was fostered by his Vietnam War service spent in NIH, where he worked in the endocrinology division. Following a fellowship year studying endocrinology he was recruited to St. Luke’s Hospital by Theodore B. Van Itallie, the former Chief of Medicine, who established first metabolic research lab in the country, to be the clinical director. He discusses various experiences and changes in medical practice; mentions his outside hobbies and interests and those of his family’s.

Dr. Sami Hashim discusses his education and career development, his research on lipid metabolism and its derivatives, the ketogenic diet, the development of MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides) which today has in many nutritional and medicinal applications and his collaboration with Dr. Theodore VanItallie which produced cholestyramine, the first cholesterol lowering medication. Dr. Hashim remarks on his family life and children, his hobbies, and his acquaintances with the Royal family in Kuwait and meeting the former President of Algeria, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt, Nobel Laureate Linus Pawling, IRA member Bobby Sands, and Arctic Explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson.

At the time of this interview, Dr. Xavier Pi-Sunyer was a Professor of Medicine at Columbia University and Co-Director of the Nutritional Obesity Research Center. Dr. Pi-Sunyer discusses his formative years in Spain, France, Mexico, and finally the US. He highlights his internship/residency at the former St. Luke’s Hospital; introduction to endocrinology at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, England, continued training in public health at Harvard University and his return to St. Luke’s, via Nigeria and Boston, where he became acquainted with Dr. Theodore Van Itallie. Dr. Van Itallie drew him back to New York to help establish the Endocrine Division and research laboratories for nutrition and metabolic research where the team carried out various grant-funded research projects. The most significant the discovery out of which is the hormone leptin. Dr. Pi-Sunyer also provides information on his own family, hobbies and interests, and comments on the mergers of St. Luke’s with Roosevelt Hospital and later the Continuum Health Partners.