"I am delighted and honored to have been named today by The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees as the seventh president of UAB," says Ray Watts, MD, Dean of the UAB School of Medicine.

"As a university, we always have approached the future with a sense of excitement, of hope, and of ambition – and always have done so as a team," says Watts.  "Most recently, our team has been led by Dr. Richard Marchase, who has been UAB’s interim president since August. I know all of you will want to join me in expressing our appreciation to him for his service to our institution and the State of Alabama. I look forward to working with all of you in the days and weeks to come as we write the next chapter in the storied history of this great institution. I could not be more excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as we pursue energetically all aspects of our mission."