UTSW Welcomes New Leaders
Around Campus
Samuel Achilefu, Ph.D., joined the UTSW faculty in January as the inaugural Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Along with his demonstrated success in innovative research and clinical impact, he brings exceptional leadership and vision to strengthen the collaboration between UTSW and UT Dallas that will advance bioengineering innovation and transform patient care. Previously, he served as Director, Optical Radiology Laboratory, and Professor of Radiology, Biomedical Engineering, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. His research interests include image-guided cancer surgery, portable imaging devices, and nanotechnology. Last year, he was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Medicine, considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.
On Nov. 1, 2021, J. William Harbour, M.D., joined the UTSW faculty as Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology. As holder of The David Bruton, Jr. Chair in Ophthalmology, he hopes to take advantage of the Department’s strengths and the growth in the region to take it to the next level. Specializing in ocular oncology, Dr. Harbour has pioneered new surgical methods in fine needle biopsy, laser treatment, and brachytherapy of ocular tumors. His research interests include the use of genetic and genomic technologies to better understand, diagnose, and treat eye cancers. Previously, he served as Vice Chair for Translational Research at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and Associate Director for Basic Science at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami.
On Sept. 1, 2021, Catherine Y. Spong, M.D., began her appointment as Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UTSW. Holder of the Paul C. MacDonald Distinguished Chair in Obstetrics and Gynecology, she specializes in prematurity, fetal complications, and improving outcomes in children. Her research interests include development of the fetus, improving the understanding of stillbirth, fetal surgery, Zika virus, COVID-19, and the placenta. Before joining UTSW in 2018, Dr. Spong served as Deputy Director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, a division of the National Institutes of Health, where she spent 23 years in numerous capacities, including Acting Director, Director of Extramural Research, and Chief of the Pregnancy and Perinatology Research Branch.
