Dr. Champ Lyons was Professor and Chair of the Department of Surgery from 1950-1965. This event is part of the Department of Surgery’s annual Champ Lyons Lecture Series and is supported by the Champ Lyons Lectureship Fund.

Lecturers:

• 2023 William Chapman, M.D.
• 2022 Steven Stain, M.D.
• 2021 Jo Buyske, M.D.
• 2020 Herbert Zeh, M.D.
• 2019 Barbara L. Bass, M.D.
• 2018 Julie Freischlag, M.D.
• 2017 Patricia L. Turner, M.D.
• 2016 Ronald J. Weigel, M.D., Ph.D.
• 2010 L. D. Britt, M.D., MPH
• 2009 E. Moreno Gonzalez, M.D.
• 2007 Stephen F. Lowry, M.D.
• 2006 Russell G. Postier, M.D.
• 2005 Hiram C. Polk, Jr., M.D.
• 2004 George F. Sheldon, M.D.
• 2003 Martin L. Dalton, M.D.
• 2002 Claude H. Organ, Jr., M.D.
• 2000 Andrew L. Warshaw, M.D.
• 1997 David B. Skinner, M.D.
• 1996 James C. Thompson, M.D.
• 1995 Ward O. Griffen, Jr., M.D.
• 1994 David C. Sabiston, Jr., M.D.
• 1993 C. Rollins Hanlon, M.D.
• 1992 Robert Zeppa, M.D.
• 1992 Joseph E. Murray, M.D.
• 1990 Michael E. DeBakey, M.D.
• 1989 Professor Peter J. Morris
• 1988 E. Stanley Crawford, M.D.

About Champ Lyons

Champ Lyons was born May 21, 1907, in Lancaster, PA. He received his early education in Mobile, Alabama, and following graduation from the University of Alabama in 1927, he entered Harvard Medical School where he received his M.D. degree in 1931. He was a member of both Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha. He completed his internship and residency training at the Massachusetts General Hospital. After World War II, he served on the faculty at Tulane University and remained there until 1950 when he was appointed Chairman at UAB. Dr. Lyons’ major contributions were in the areas of surgical infections and vascular surgery.

In July of 1965, Dr. Lyons was finishing his rounds with his residents when he announced he had one more case to present—his own. He produced his brain scan which showed a lesion occupying the left cerebral space. On Aug. 3, 1965, a craniotomy was performed, and in two months, Dr. Lyons had passed away. Though his career was cut short, Dr. Lyons’ impact on the medical world was in no way lessened. He taught by example and was truly a leader in the art and science of surgery.