Dear Longhorns,

Human health is central to the future of The University of Texas at Austin and our mission. Today, I am excited to announce that I have named Dr. Claudia Lucchinetti Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and the UT Dell Medicine Health System. She will continue to serve as Dean of the Dell Medical School while leading and expanding the University’s medical enterprise.

Elevating Claudia’s role is crucial to building a world-class health system. Under her leadership, UT Dell Medicine brings together education, research, technology, and patient care — including UT MD Anderson cancer care — to establish a new, integrated model for academic medicine. It will connect clinicians and physicians with the extraordinary strength of the Forty Acres to promote health, prevent illness, deliver exceptional care, and save lives.

Claudia is the right person to lead this work. She is an internationally recognized neurologist and physician-scientist whose work has strengthened the understanding and treatment of multiple sclerosis. Before coming to Texas, she spent nearly three decades at Mayo Clinic, where she chaired the Department of Neurology, served as dean of clinical and translational science, and was a member of its Board of Trustees. Since joining UT in 2022, Claudia has moved the UT Dell Medical Center from an ambitious idea into a reality.

This appointment is more than a change in Claudia’s title. It makes clear that medicine is a core part of who we are and what this University will become. We have the talent, belief, and ambition to build something one-of-a-kind. Claudia’s leadership will bring our strengths together in service to patients, Texans, and the future of health care.

Please join me in congratulating Claudia and thanking her for taking on this important responsibility. The future of medicine is being built at UT, and we are ready to lead.

Hook ’em!

Jim Davis
President