People: Faculty News

UT Health Sciences Researchers Demonstrate Breakthroughs in Cancer Treatment Quality Through AI-Enhanced Data Analytics

Written by Communications and Marketing

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Clinical CareResearch
Dr. David Schwartz headshot

Cancer researchers at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center have published three groundbreaking studies demonstrating how advanced artificial intelligence and population health analytics can identify and address barriers to quality cancer care. Funded by a Practice Transformation and Enhancement grant from the Tennessee Department of Health, the work documents key technical steps leading to… Read More

Prioritizing Partnership and Progress, Dr. Karen Derefinko Guides Faculty Senate Forward

Written by Chris Green

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EducationPublic ServiceResearch
Dr. Karen Derefinko speaking at the podium at a Faculty Senate meeting

When Karen Derefinko, PhD, talks about her work, there is a theme that comes up again and again: people working together can solve almost anything. This principle is what first drew her into clinical psychology, what motivates her research today, and what shapes her goals as president of the Faculty Senate at the University of… Read More

UT Health Science Center Celebrates Nearly 150 Newly Minted Graduates This Winter

Written by Allyson Lawson

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Education
A graduate getting ready to receive her diploma in the auditorium

“You’re not just entering a profession. You’re joining a mission to make Tennesseans and beyond, healthier and stronger.” With those words, Executive Dean for the College of Medicine Michael Hocker, MD, captured the essence of what 146 new health care professionals entered into Dec. 8 as the University of Tennessee Health Science Center celebrated winter… Read More

New Chair of UT-Campbell Clinic Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering Continues Legacy, Looks Toward Future

Written by Peggy Reisser

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Clinical CareEducationResearch
Headshot of Dr. Frederick Azar

Frederick M. Azar, MD, a longtime Memphis orthopaedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine, has been named the new Harold Boyd Chair of the UT Health Science Center-Campbell Clinic Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Biomedical Engineering in the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. The chief of staff at Campbell Clinic… Read More

Director Selected to Lead Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence

Written by Leigh Ann Roman

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Clinical CarePublic ServiceResearch
Photo of Matt McDaniel

Matt McDaniel, MPH, MPA, has been named the director of the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence. McDaniel brings strong experience in public health and public service to his leadership role in the new, statewide initiative housed at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. He joined the Center of Excellence as director on… Read More

Fall 2025 Pharmacy Magazine Highlights College’s Legacy of Drug Discovery

Written by Chris Green

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Clinical CareEducationPublic ServiceResearch
College of Pharmacy Magazine Cover

As one of the nation’s top pharmacy schools, the College of Pharmacy at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is leading the way in advancing pharmaceutical research while training the next generation of pharmacy professionals. The fall 2025 issue of Pharmacy Magazine demonstrates how the college continues to transform lives through excellence in pharmacy… Read More

Brain-on-a-Chip Revolutionizes Fight Against Deadly Encephalitis Viruses

Written by Lee Ferguson

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Research
Photo of a brain-on-a-chip

Inside a lab at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, a transparent chip no bigger than a stick of gum could be changing the way scientists study the human brain and how they fight some of the world’s most dangerous viruses. Colleen Jonsson, PhD, Harriet S. Van Vleet Chair of Excellence in Virology and… Read More

Vision and Heart: UT Health Science Center Faculty Co-Lead Le Bonheur Heart Institute

Written by Chris Green

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Clinical CareEducationResearch
Portrait of Dr. Jason Johnson and Dr. Bret Mettler

Dr. Bret Mettler Strives to Make a Lasting Difference for Children and Families Long before he became a leader in pediatric cardiac surgery, Bret Mettler, MD, entered medicine through a love of science and discovery. But it was the moments at the bedside, where he saw the difference his care made in the lives of… Read More