A lasting legacy: one planned gift supports two endowed faculty appointments in DOM
Philanthropy at work in the Department of Medicine
Two Department of Medicine faculty—from separate divisions—received endowed appointments last year, thanks to a single planned philanthropic gift from the John Flesch Family Estate that was first realized in 2019:
- Fahad Aziz, MD, division chief, Nephrology, was named to the Flesch Family Fellowship in Kidney Transplant Research
- Veli Topkara, MD, MSc, associate professor, Cardiovascular Medicine, was named to the newly created Flesch Family Professorship in Cardiovascular Medicine
John was the son of Gordon and Rozanne Flesch, who founded the Gordon Flesch Company headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin.
The gift from his estate provides Dr. Aziz and Dr. Topkara with additional financial resources and the opportunity to pursue key research, education and clinical care efforts that advance the department’s mission overall.
Dr. Aziz: Investing in people, knowledge and care
For Dr. Aziz—who also stepped into the role of Nephrology division chief in 2025—the Flesch Family Fellowship in Kidney Transplant Research will support the development of two forthcoming books.
The first is a biographical narrative of a retired nurse practitioner, grounded in real clinical experiences, that builds upon Dr. Aziz’s most recent book, The Healing Art of Connecting with Patients (read a related Q&A with Dr. Aziz).
The second book will focus on purpose, resilience, and career development for mid- to late-career physicians navigating the evolving landscape of academic medicine.
At the same time, the endowed position will help support the growth of a Rare Kidney Disease Program. The program will include focused research on understudied kidney diseases, an educational mission aimed at trainees and practicing clinicians, and the development of a national conference bringing together experts to foster collaboration and advance care for patients with rare kidney conditions.
“Together,” says Dr. Aziz, “these efforts reflect the Flesch family’s legacy of investing in people, knowledge, and care that truly makes a difference.”
Dr. Topkara: Accelerating discovery for future advances
A nationally-renowned leader in the management of patients with heart failure, Dr. Topkara transferred his lab from Columbia University in New York City to the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison) in mid-2024.
The Flesch Family Professorship in Cardiovascular Medicine will provide his research program with flexible resources at a critical stage of development.
“This support will enable high-risk, high-reward studies in heart failure cardiology that are not yet funded through traditional mechanisms and allow the generation of essential preliminary data,” says Dr. Topkara.
His research investigates how changes in gene activity drive heart failure and how these pathways might be reversed to promote cardiac recovery. In parallel, it looks at how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to analyze large-scale clinical and biological data, improving decision-making in heart failure care and optimizing donor selection for heart transplantation.
As the medical director of the heart failure, cardiac transplantation, and mechanical circulatory program at the UW–Madison, Dr. Topkara also oversees a multidisciplinary team dedicated to advancing the treatment and outcomes of individuals living with heart failure.
“More broadly,” he notes, “I am sincerely thankful that the Flesch Family Professorship will foster collaboration, mentorship, and training within Cardiovascular Medicine, accelerating discovery and strengthening the foundation for future advances in patient care.”