November 21, 2000

BIRMINGHAM, AL — David D. Chaplin, M.D., Ph.D., is the new chairman of the UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) Department of Microbiology. The appointment was announced by Dr. William B. Deal, dean of the School of Medicine at UAB.

Chaplin is currently professor of medicine, genetics, and molecular microbiology in the department of internal medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He also is chief of the division of allergy and immunology in the department of medicine and an associate investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He will join UAB in the spring of 2001.

"Dr. Chaplin is a highly-sought candidate with an international reputation in his field," Deal says. "His leadership will be a critical component of the School of Medicine's drive to reach the top 10 of NIH research funding by 2010."

Chaplin's research focuses on how lymphoid organs form and how their structures support the intricate interactions between immune cells that are needed for protective immune responses. He also studies mechanisms controlling the development of tissue inflammation, particularly the airway inflammation typically present in asthma.

"I'm very grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of the teaching and research programs at UAB," Chaplin says. "UAB has attracted outstanding scientists in most areas of basic and clinical science. Most importantly, the university leadership has nurtured a tradition of cooperation and collaboration among these faculty. This is a very exciting time in which scientists who are skilled at working together can make exceptionally rapid progress in understanding molecular mechanisms of health and disease. Our goal is for UAB to take an increasingly visible position as a national leader in basic and clinical research."

Chaplin joined Washington University in 1984 as an assistant professor of medicine and molecular microbiology. In 1995, he was named professor of medicine, genetics and molecular microbiology.

Chaplin received a medical degree and a Ph.D. in cell and developmental biology from Washington University in 1980. He did his residency in internal medicine at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas and then pursued postdoctoral training in genetics at Harvard University.

He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and has been elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians. He also belongs to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and the American Association of Immunologists.