Dr. Geffner graduated from Queens College of the City University of New York in 1972 and from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1975. He was an intern, resident, and chief resident at the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center between 1975-1979. He completed a three-year fellowship in Pediatric Endocrinology at UCLA between 1979-1982 and he remained at UCLA through December 31, 2001, having risen up the academic ladder to the rank of Professor in 1996.

Under the mentorship of Drs. Solomon Kaplan, Barbara Lippe, and David Golde, Dr. Geffner developed a longstanding basic research interest in the general area of hormone resistance. More specifically, he has studied the mechanisms responsible for resistance to ACTH (in the triple A syndrome), thyroid hormones, growth hormone (Laron dwarfism), and combined GH and IGF-I resistance (African Efe Pygmies and HIV-1-infected children with growth failure). To date, Dr. Geffner has authored 93 peer-reviewed publications. On a clinical level, his research interests have involved studies of new formulations, delivery systems, indications for GH therapy, and optimization of treatment for children with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Dr. Geffner has had a career-long interest in medical and patient education. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Program Directors’ Committee of the Lawson Wilkins Pediatric Endocrine Society, Medical Advisor to the Turner Syndrome Society of Southern California, Medical Advisor on childhood panhypopituitarism for the MAGIC Foundation and the Pituitary Network, and as a member of the National Steering Committee for the NIH-sponsored TODAY (Treatment Of type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth) trial. Lastly, Dr. Geffner is co-editor of the next edition of the Wilkins’ Textbook of Pediatric Endocrinology.