The Foster Era (1987–2003)
When Daniel Foster became Department chair in 1987, he inherited not just a department but a legacy. Dr. Foster was no stranger to UT Southwestern, having graduated first in his class in 1955. He had been one of the promising students whom Dr. Seldin sent to the National Institutes of Health for advanced training. Returning to Dallas at Dr. Seldin’s urging, Dr. Foster built a distinguished career as a physician-scientist, earning election to the Institute of Medicine and becoming a respected voice in metabolism research.
An Unexpected Call to Leadership
His transition to leadership was almost cinematic. One Saturday morning, Nobel laureates Michael Brown and Joseph Goldstein visited a reluctant Dr. Foster in his lab to insist he accept the position of chair. “You just have to say yes,” they told him. Dr. Foster, who had envisioned a life devoted to research, finally agreed. “It’s probably the smartest thing I ever did,” he later reflected.
Dr. Foster approached his new role with humility and strategic patience. He recalled advice from a hospital CEO: “Paint the lobby so they know someone new is here. Add a few parking spaces. Then don’t do anything for six months.” Dr. Foster followed that counsel, observing before acting. But when he did act, his changes were transformative.
Transforming the Department
He revitalized subspecialty leadership, recruiting new chiefs and expanding programs that had long needed attention. Under his guidance, UT Southwestern entered the bone marrow transplant arena, hired top-tier cardiologists, and strengthened divisions across the board. One of his most significant achievements was securing the Dallas Heart Study in 1999, a groundbreaking cardiovascular research project funded by a major Reynolds Foundation grant. Competing against Harvard, Hopkins, Stanford, and Duke, UT Southwestern emerged victorious, launching a study that enrolled more than 6,000 participants and produced dozens of landmark discoveries.
Dr. Foster also championed collaboration, helping establish liver and lung transplant programs and forging partnerships that broadened the Department’s clinical reach. Yet his greatest passion remained education. Dr. Foster believed deeply in the power of mentorship, personally leading morning reports four days a week and maintaining close ties with residents and chief residents. Many of those trainees returned as faculty, continuing the cycle of excellence that Dr. Seldin had begun decades earlier.
A Lasting Legacy
After 16 years as chair, Dr. Foster stepped down in 2003. During his tenure, he strengthened the Department’s scientific foundation, expanded its clinical capabilities, and nurtured a generation of physicians and scientists. “I taught them all the things that I knew,” he said, reflecting on a career defined by service, scholarship, and an unwavering commitment to the institution he loved.