UAB Synopsis, Vol. 26, No. 38, October 22, 2007
Edward Abraham, MD, professor of medicine and Spencer Chair in Medical Science Leadership, Department of Medicine, announces the appointment of Lynn B. Gerald, PhD, as director of the UAB Lung Health Center, based in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care.
“Dr. Gerald is a medical sociologist and epidemiologist who is a world authority on school-based asthma research,” Dr. Abraham says. “Her contributions to the field of screening for asthma are authoritative and her expertise in patient-oriented research has made her a valuable resource to UAB investigators.”
Dr. Gerald previously was assistant director of the center. William C. Bailey, MD, whom she replaces as director, will continue as medical director. She says, “The Lung Health Center has been a leader in the field of clinical research largely because of Dr. Bailey’s leadership over the past 21 years and has gained national recognition in the fields of asthma, tuberculosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We are very appreciative that he will continue to be actively involved in our activities, including mentoring our scientists.”
Dr. Gerald also announced that Mark T. Dransfield, MD, assistant professor of medicine, will become assistant medical director, continue to supervise all industry funded trials, and serve as primary expert in COPD and lung cancer.
The associate professor of medicine is principal investigator (PI) of two RO1 grants funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. One examines the effectiveness of an elementary school-based asthma therapy program and the second the effectiveness of priority model for use in tuberculosis contact investigations. She also is PI of an American Lung Association Asthma Clinical Research Center.
In 2006 she received the Max Cooper Award for Research Excellence.
Dr. Gerald has served on the National Asthma Educator Certification Board and the board of the American Lung Association of Alabama.
She holds a BS degree in psychology, an MSPH degree in epidemiology, and a PhD in medical sociology, all from UAB, as well as a master’s degree in sociology from the University of South Alabama.