A Message from the Dean, John Sealy School of Medicine; Senior Vice President for Health Affairs; and Chief Research Officer

Dear colleagues,

We are honored to announce the retirement of Jin Mo Chung, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurobiology in the John Sealy School of Medicine at UTMB. Dr. Chung has served UTMB with distinction for 44 years, leaving an indelible mark on our institution through his leadership, research, and mentorship.

Dr. Chung is a globally recognized expert in the neurobiological mechanisms of chronic and neuropathic pain. The Spinal Nerve Ligation (SNL) model developed by Dr. Chung, and thus named “Chung Model of Neuropathic Pain,” has been widely used in the pain research field, leading to both pain mechanism investigation and drug development. Over his career, he has published 174 peer-reviewed scientific papers, which have been cited more than 30,000 times. His research has been continuously funded by the NIH for 42 years, in addition to support from the Department of Defense, the American Heart Association, and numerous pharmaceutical companies.

Dr. Chung earned his PhD in Physiology from Loyola University of Chicago and completed postdoctoral training at both Loyola and UTMB. He joined UTMB in 1981 and has held numerous roles, including Professor, Endowed Chair, and Chair of the Department of Neurobiology.

As an educator, Dr. Chung has taught neuroanatomy to medical students for over four decades and mentored seven PhD students and more than 45 postdoctoral fellows and visiting scientists, many of whom now hold faculty positions around the world. His commitment to education and mentorship has shaped generations of scientists and clinicians.

As a leader of the Department of Neurobiology since 2016, Dr. Chung worked restlessly and effectively to create a harmonious environment in nourishing the newly recruited faculty members and promoting collaboration both inside and outside of the department. Under his leadership, the NIH funding of the department nearly tripled within nine years.   

Dr. Chung’s dedication to UTMB is further reflected in his establishment of an endowed professorship within the department. He has expressed a desire to remain connected to the department and to continue supporting faculty, students, and future leadership in his emeritus role.

Please join us in celebrating Dr. Chung’s remarkable career and contributions to UTMB. His legacy will continue to inspire excellence in research, education, and service. We extend our deepest gratitude to Dr. Chung and wish him all the best in his well-earned retirement.

In addition, we are pleased to share that Ping Wu, MD, PhD, has been named Chair ad interim of the Department of Neurobiology. Dr. Wu is a tenured Professor in the department and Director of the Neuroscience Graduate Program. She has served as Vice Chair for Research in the department since 2021.

She is a renowned expert in stem cell research whose innovative techniques and findings have earned national and international recognition. We appreciate her leadership, and we are confident she will continue to advance the department’s mission and foster excellence in research, education, and collaboration.

Thank you,

Antonio Bianco, MD, PhD