Raphael Valdivia, PhD, has been named chair of the Department of Immunology, effective Oct. 1, 2022. Dr. Valdivia is the Nanaline H. Duke Distinguished Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and has served as the interim chair of the Department of Immunology since August 2022.
He has served the School of Medicine in multiple roles including Director of Graduate Studies, Director of the Center for the Genomics of Microbial Systems, and most recently Vice Dean for Basic Science from 2014-2018. He is a member of the Duke Microbiome Center and the Duke Cancer Institute. In his new role, Dr. Valdivia will oversee a restructuring of the Department of Immunology to reflect the increased importance of immunity and inflammation in all aspects of human health.