News and Events
Dr. Jonathan Wall Named UTGSM Director of Research
Jonathan Wall, PhD, Director of the Amyloidosis and Cancer Theranostics Program, has been named Director of Research at the University of Tennesee Graduate School of Medicine, effective June 1. Dr. Wall will be responsible for helping the Dean of the UT Graduate School of Medicine, Paul J. Hauptman, MD, to oversee basic and translational science initiatives. He will replace Mitchell H. Goldman, MD, who, after nearly a decade of service, will be stepping down from his position as Assistant Dean for Research.
Dr. Wall, a tenured Professor at the GSM, graduated from the University of Essex (Colchester, UK) with a baccalaureate in biological sciences and also received a PhD in Biological Chemistry and Biophysics for studies of protein-membrane interactions. He then joined the Human Immunology & Cancer Program at the University of Tennessee Medical Center as a post-doctoral fellow, where he worked on elucidating biochemical and biophysical aspects of immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis and helped to establish a Preclinical Imaging Laboratory to study the biodistribution of amyloid-reactive antibodies. Currently, he focuses on the development and translation of biologicals for imaging and therapy of systemic amyloid diseases. He and his team have recently started, at UTMC, a new investigator-initiated Phase 1 clinical trial of a promising new imaging agent for detecting systemic amyloidosis. With over 100 publications, ~13 issued US patents, and over $10M in grants and research contracts to his credit, Dr. Wall has extensive experience with research-related administrative processes, experimental design and resource allocation, and he will use his knowledge base to assist researchers and to help forge a new vision for research at the GSM going forward.
After serving for 9 years in this role as Research Dean, Dr. Goldman will transition back to his primary professional home in the Department of Surgery, where among other tasks he will help direct the department's research effort in his role as mentor and advisor. Dr. Goldman is a legendary leader at the GSM, having served in multiple positions, including Chair of Surgery and Surgical Director of the fully accredited UT Center for Advanced Medical Simulation. The recipient of multiple professional awards, including the Rudolph Matas Award from the Southern Association for Vascular Surgeons, Dr. Goldman was recently selected to join the American College of Surgeons Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. From the bedside to the laboratory, Dr. Goldman has been deeply committed to the Graduate School of Medicine's tripartite mission of excellence in clinical care, teaching and research. In that context, he has encouraged countless students, residents, fellows and attending staff to pursue educational and research endeavors, and has played a pivotal role in their professional development.
Dr. Goldman earned his MD degree from Harvard Medical School and joined the UT Graduate School of Medicine in 1985. That same year, he performed the first kidney transplant at UTMC. His research endeavors have largely focused on vascular injury and intimal hyperplasia.
Paul J. Hauptman, MD, UTGSM Dean, said, "I am deeply grateful for Dr. Goldman's years of outstanding service to the GSM and to Dr. Wall for accepting the new position as we look to foster and expand the research footprint of the Graduate School of Medicine and The University of Tennessee Medical Center. The GSM community is thankful to both for their accomplishments, past, present and future."
Posted May 16, 2019