Mark Reese is one of the foremost acupuncturists in Chicago and has been treating the health concerns of patients with acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) since the mid-nineties After earning degrees in microbiology and biochemistry, followed by work in the cancer research field, he realized that his true calling lay in working to heal people in a more direct fashion From the lab he moved into social services where, among other projects, he created three alternative health clinics for people living with HIV/AIDS at Cook County Hospital, at a shelter for homeless people, and at an agency which served Latinos living with HIV/AIDS