FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

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Anne W. Manning – (901) 448-4072

Sheila Champlin – (901) 448-4957

 

 

Gabor Tigyi MD, PhD, Named Chairman, Department of Physiology

in the College of Medicine, Memphis,

a University of Tennessee Health Science Center Campus

 

Memphis, Tenn. (July 9, 2007) – Steve J. Schwab, MD, executive dean of the College of Medicine for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), has announced the appointment of Gabor Tigyi, MD, PhD, as chairman for the Department of Physiology in the College of Medicine, Memphis, one of three College of Medicine campuses that are part of the UTHSC. 

Dr. Tigyi is a 15-year veteran of UTHSC, joining the faculty of the Department of Physiology in 1992.  His research focuses on a group of lipid mediators involved as causative agents in human diseases including atherosclerosis, thrombosis, tumor angiogenesis and metastasis.  Since his arrival at UTHSC, he has been continuously funded by multiple research grants and is currently the principal investigator of three National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants and a Department of Defense grant, as well as co-principal investigator on two other NIH grants.  

A multi-campus search committee lead by Russell Chesney, MD, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at UTHSC, evaluated a group of outstanding international candidates for the position.  “Dr. Tigyi emerged as the leader among a field of distinguished candidates based heavily on a series of impressive research accomplishments and for his bold vision for the Department of Physiology,” Dr. Schwab stated.

Interim UTHSC Chancellor H. “Pat” Wall said, “Dr. Tigyi will be a formidable leader and is a valuable asset to the Department of Physiology and to the Health Science Center.”

“Gabor brings an ability to tie our multi-campus scientific community together,” noted UT Executive Vice President David Millhorn, PhD, who served as a member of the search advisory committee.

Dr. Tigyi is internationally recognized for his research and holds a visiting professorship at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan.  In 1984, he was elected to the 200 member Hungarian Academy of Sciences as a Foreign Member.  Dr. Tigyi commented, “It is the ultimate recognition of a faculty member by his peers to be appointed to lead the department that he grew up in.  I take pride in knowing that for the physiology faculty, excellence is the modus operandi as we consistently receive the highest ratings and rank 15^th in NIH funding among physiology departments of public medical schools.  Coming from the inside, I know that we have many unrealized opportunities and I am excited about growing this already excellent department into an outstanding one.”

As the flagship statewide academic health system, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is focused on a four-tier mission of education, research, clinical care and public service, all in support of a single goal: to improve the health of Tennesseans.  Offering a broad range of postgraduate training opportunities, the main campus, with its six colleges, is in Memphis. UTHSC has additional College of Medicine campus locations in Knoxville and Chattanooga. For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.

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