Joel Weinstock, MD
Dr. Joel Vincent Weinstock passed away on Saturday, May 7, 2022. An international pioneer in the study and treatment of inflammatory conditions of the digestive system, Dr. Weinstock coined the term “hygiene hypothesis” – the theory that raising children in extremely hygienic environments has an adverse impact on immune development, predisposing them to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other immunological disorders later in life. Dr. Weinstock is world-renowned for his innovative and extensive research on helminths – small, parasitic worms, once more common in the intestinal tract, that have shown to be protective against IBD.
Born on March 21, 1948 in Detroit, Michigan to middle-class parents Esther and Herman Weinstock during the height of the space race, Joel developed his knack for medicine and ingenuity at an early age. After finishing high school, Dr. Weinstock won a full scholarship to Wayne State University School of Medicine, where he graduated at the top of his class. He completed his residency and fellowship at University Hospitals and Clinics of Michigan in Ann Arbor before returning to Wayne State as Vice-Chief in the Division of Gastroenterology, where he cultivated his expertise in inflammatory bowel disease, publishing breakthrough papers in the new era of study involving granuloma development and immune regulation.
At the age of 35, Dr. Weinstock left Wayne State to become Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and of the Digestive Disease Center at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa, positions he held for 19 years until 2005, when he became Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, a position he held for the following 15 years.
Dr. Weinstock was known professionally as a devoted physician leader, researcher, educator, and fierce advocate for his patients and their families. He often gave patients his home telephone number. His laboratory was awarded millions of dollars in decades of funding to active research programs, encompassing basic science through clinical trials related to IBD.
As devoted as Dr. Weinstock was to fathering breakthroughs in his field of study, Joel was an equally devoted and successful husband and father to his family. He was an avid student of history, lover of nature, director of projects, appreciator of culture, and a loyal friend to many. Joel was especially fond of multi-colored lilies throughout his garden that he affectionately called his fireworks.
Dr. Weinstock is survived by his wife of 40 years, Alison, and their adult children Lisa, Jeff, and Andrew, who all reside in the Boston area. A funeral service will take place on Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 11:30 am at Beit Olam East Cemetery, 44 Concord Rd., Wayland, MA 01778.