Remembering Uzo Davis Anugo, M.D., Class of 2019, Taken from Us Too Soon
On April 20, 2024, the Einstein community learned of the tragic loss of Uzochukwu Davis Anugo, M.D., class of 2019, who was killed in a car crash. Uzo, as his classmates and friends knew him, was 32 years old and just months away from completing a residency in ophthalmology at UNC School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, NC.
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Uzo moved to the United States at age 12. He graduated from Binghamton University in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, after which he served as an undergraduate researcher at Howard Hughes Medical Institute. His interest in science and medicine blossomed following surgery to repair a torn ACL resulting from a football injury in high school.
At Einstein, Uzo was quiet and thoughtful. Rabbi Zalman Teitelbaum, who advises the Einstein Chabad Club that hosts weekly Shabbat dinners, other social events, and thoughtful discussion groups for students of all backgrounds, recalled numerous chats with Uzo, who showed a keen interest in learning about other cultures.
“He wanted to know about my experiences with anti-Semitism and shared instances of racism he had encountered. He was deeply sensitive, and he was proud of his own heritage. It meant a lot to him that his classmates and others at Einstein used his Nigerian name, rather than the Anglican name Davis. To us, he will always be Uzo.”
In a report about his death aired by WTVD, co-worker Jessica Paschall recalled, “He was a great doctor and good person. He was so sweet -- always willing to teach. Whatever we needed help with he was always willing to teach us what we needed to do."
Recognized Excellence
Uzo also excelled academically. As a third-year, he received a highly competitive Summer Student Fellowship from Fight for Sight, an organization that supports research in the field of eye and vision research. The honor was all-the-more impressive because Uzo, a medical student, was competing against Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. students. His interest in ophthalmology stemmed from his experience volunteering at the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center along with Montefiore Einstein ophthalmology residents and medical students.
His fellowship supported his investigations into the role of Fidgetin-like 2 protein in the process of wound healing in the corneal epithelium, which is the outer, protective layer of the cornea, as well as the protein’s role in regenerating the corneal nerve.
Uzo also was invited to speak about his work at the Fight for Sight gala. He shared with the audience, “In places like the United States, there are systems put in place to assist the blind in getting an education and functioning in society. In many places, like where I was born, blindness means a lack of education and an inability to provide for yourself and your family.”
In concluding, he added, “Fight for Sight has given young scientists like me the confidence, the resources and world-renowned mentors to pursue the goal of curing blindness.”
Following his graduation from Einstein, Uzo completed an internship at Maimonides Medical Center and then moved to Chapel Hill for his ophthalmology residency. His warmth, kindness, intellect, humility, and compassion will be missed greatly.
If you’d like to leave a remembrance of Uzo or offer condolences, please visit this Remembrance Page on Einstein’s intranet, or through this site.
Posted on: Monday, July 08, 2024