J. Edwin Blalock, PhD, has joined the Department of Medicine as a Professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine and has also become the Scientific Director of the Lung Health Center.  Dr. Blalock is a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Florida where he received both a BS and PhD degree.  He was previously a Professor in the UAB Department of Physiology and Biophysics having been recruited to UAB in 1986 from the University of Texas Medical Branch where he was a Professor of Microbiology. 

 Dr. Blalock is internationally recognized for his research in neuroimmunology, rational drug design, as well as the role of inflammation in chronic lung diseases.  He has published over 300 journal articles and book chapters and enjoyed uninterrupted funding for the past 32 years.  Dr. Blalock has served on two NIH study sections, as well as study sections for the American Heart Association and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  In his role as Scientific Director, Dr. Blalock plans to expand the basic science and translational medicine capabilities of the Lung Health Center.