COM Alumnus Named Department Chair at UTMB
Urban holds the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Distinguished Chair in Internal Medicine. He served as the interim chair of the department since June 2004. Prior to taking the helm of internal medicine, Urban was director of the Stark Diabetes Center and the Division of Endocrinology.
“I appreciate the opportunity to lead the largest and most complex clinical department at UTMB at this particular time of institutional transformation,” Urban said. “My experience with community outreach, clinical service and quality research in the Endocrinology Division at UTMB for 15 years helped my year as chair ad interim to be one of personal growth, departmental development and strong recruitment. With the help of my administrative team, I can now address the key departmental and institutional issues with full empowerment and confidence. I believe the next decade will be UTMB's finest and I am thrilled to be a part of the excitement of building that future.”
A native of Victoria, Texas, Urban received his medical degree from the A&M College of Medicine in 1982 and completed his residency in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., in 1985. He completed his fellowship in endocrinology at the University of Virginia Medical School in Charlottesville, Va.
A member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society, Urban was the top graduating medical student in his class. He holds two grants from the National Institutes of Health and is the primary investigator on several foundation grants. His areas of research include ovarian steroidogenesis, aging and hormonal effects on muscle function, as well as traumatic brain injury and pituitary dysfunction.
Urban is a strong advocate in the development and implementation of community outreach programs for diabetes, promoting the diagnosis and management of diabetes through educational initiatives supported by the Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Diabetes Center.
A member of multiple scientific societies, Urban is an author in the field of endocrinology with more than 140 peer-reviewed publications and abstracts. He is a reviewer for the NIH and serves as a manuscript reviewer for several scientific journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine.
