Obituary – Songya Pang, MD
To the Pediatric Endocrine Community:
It is with great sadness that we acknowledge the sudden death of Dr. Songya Pang on June 10th, 2025, one month shy of her 81st birthday.
Dr. Pang was a pioneer in her time – a leading female physician-scientist when there were few. Countless individuals have benefited from her seminal research as the inventor of newborn screening for steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). She received a patent for this on February 14, 1984 – Patent # 443,743 -“Method for Determining Steroids in Human Body Liquids.” (Pang S. et al. Microfilter Paper Method for 17 α hydroxyprogesterone radioimmunoassay: its application for rapid screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1977, 45:1003-1008.) Worldwide screening has advanced from the original filter paper days, but it all began with Songya.
She began her medical studies in 1965 at Ewha University School of Medicine in Seoul, Korea. From 1969-1970, she served as a pediatric intern at The Catholic Medical Center, Mary Immaculate Hospital in New York City, and completed her residency in Pediatrics in 1972 at the Jewish Hospital and Medical Center of Brooklyn (now Interfaith Hospital). She pursued her endocrine training first as an NIH research fellow in diabetes (Sponsor: Sheldon J. Bleicher, MD) at The Jewish Hospital and Medical Center of Brooklyn (1972–1974), followed by a move to Pittsburgh as an NIH Endocrine and Clinical Research Fellow at The Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (Sponsors: Allan L. Drash, MD; Ernst Knobil, PhD; and Fredric M. Kenny, MD). She made lifelong friends with Dr. Dorothy Becker and Dr. Nancy Hopwood. She trained with giants of the past, including Dr. Tom Foley, to become a renowned expert in adrenal steroidogenesis.
I first met Dr. Pang as a first-year fellow in 1976 when she became a research associate in the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology at Cornell University Medical College (Weill Cornell). At Cornell, she continued her friendships with many of us – Drs. Lenore Levine, Brenda Kohn, and Phyllis Speiser. She became the director of the core laboratory and rose to the rank of Associate Professor. In 1987, she moved to Chicago and became a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Illinois. She ultimately served as Chief of Pediatric Endocrinology at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and was Fellowship Program Director until her retirement in 2011.
Dr. Pang received numerous awards and held NIH grants examining genetic defects causing hirsutism and ovarian dysfunction, small instrumentation grants, and foundation funding for her assessment of the molecular and hormonal criteria of 3β-HSD deficiency. She wrote over 135 scientific papers in endocrine and pediatric journals, many chapters on CAH, and published her findings nationally and internationally.
Songya is remembered by her family and colleagues as an elegant lady, an opulent hostess who catered expansive dinners with her fellows, and a loyal friend. Recently, most notable were her awards at formal ballroom dancing competitions. She won many prizes and wore the most engaging ball gowns. After her retirement, she devoted happy hours to perfecting her routines.
Songya worked hard in all she did. She was meticulous with her data, inclusive of her co-workers, and a special aunt to her nieces and nephews. She will be remembered not only for her major scientific accomplishments but for her efforts to ensure that both male and female infants were tested in the initial newborn screening program for CAH.
I submit this brief remembrance with deep humility.
Sharon E. Oberfield
and Drs. Lenore S. Levine, Brenda Kohn, Phyllis Speiser and Dorothy Becker