The Department of Nutrition Sciences has a rich history of nutrition education and research that predates the University of Alabama at Birmingham itself. As far back as the 1920s, doctors at Hillman Hospital were studying the benefits of folic acid in the treatment of pellagra and other major deficiency diseases. In 1963, the University of Alabama Hospital (UAH) and Hillman Clinics inaugurated the Dietetic Internship program, and in 1964, Dr. Walter B. Frommeyer, Jr., created a division of nutrition within the Department of Medicine and named Dr. Charles E. Butterworth, Jr. director.
In 1977, Dr. S. Richardson Hill, Jr., president of UAB, established a university-wide Department of Nutrition Sciences with Dr. Butterworth as its first chair, a role he held until 1988. In 1983, the department moved into the Nutrition Sciences building at 1675 University Blvd., built thanks to a generous donation by Birmingham philanthropist Charles B. Webb, Jr., honoring the memory of his wife, Susan Mott Webb.
From 1988 until 1999, clinical nutrition expert Dr. Roland L. Weinsier served as department chair. In 2000, Dr. Weinsier was awarded a Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC) grant (initially referred to as a Clinical Nutrition Research Center) funded by NIDDK/NIH. Dr. W. Timothy Garvey joined UAB in 2004 and served as chair of the department until 2018. In 2008, he established the UAB Diabetes Research and Training Center (DRTC), which became the Diabetes Research Center (DRC) in 2013. Dr. Garvey continues to direct the DRC, the only NIDDK-funded diabetes center located in the Deep South.
Dr. James O. Hill served as chair of the Department of Nutrition Sciences from 2018 to 2022 and continues to serve as director of the NORC. Dr. Hill came to UAB from the University of Colorado in 2018, where he directed the NORC and founded the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center.
Today, Dr. Barbara Gower serves as chair of the Department of Nutrition Sciences, director of the Metabolism Core for the NORC and the Center for Clinical and Translational Science, and director of the Human Physiology Core for the DRC.
Department Chairs 1977–Present
Charles E. Butterworth, Jr., MD, 1977–1988
- Published “The Skeleton in the Hospital Closet” (1974) documenting what became known as hospital malnutrition, leading to the improvement of nutritional support for patients
- In 1977, named Chair of the newly created Department of Nutrition Sciences
- Under his leadership, the department was the first to be awarded a Clinical Nutrition Research Unit grant supported by the National Cancer Institute of the NIH
Roland L. Weinsier, MD, DrPH, 1988–1999
- Joined UAB in 1975, built a nutrition clinic and nutrition support service, and developed a popular first-year School of Medicine nutrition course
- Authored Fundamentals of Clinical Nutrition and Handbook of Clinical Nutrition
- In 2000, was awarded a Clinical Nutrition Research Unit grant funded by NIDDK/NIH to establish what is now known as the Nutrition Obesity Research Center (NORC)
W. Timothy Garvey, MD, 2004–2018
- In 2004, joined UAB as Chair of the department, which he led until 2018
- In 2008, launched the Diabetes Research and Training Center (DRTC), which in 2013 became the Diabetes Research Center (DRC), one of only six NIDDK-sponsored research centers in the U.S. and the only center in the Deep South
- Served as associate director of the UAB NORC
James O. Hill, PhD, 2018–2022
- In 2018, joined UAB from the University of Colorado as Chair of the department and director of the NORC
- Cofounded the America on the Move program and the National Weight Control Registry
- Authored The Step Diet Book and State of Slim
Barbara Gower, PhD, 2023–present
- January 2023, named chair of the department
- Director of the Metabolism Core for the NORC
- Director of the Metabolism Core for the Center for Clinical and Translational Science
- Director of the Human Physiology Core for the DRC