WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 11, 2024) — The George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) is pleased to announce that Alison Hall, PhD, has been appointed to serve as the Senior Associate Dean for Research.
Hall will oversee the research missions of the GW academic medical enterprise — including basic sciences, translational and clinical research, health services research, and educational research. In partnership with academic department chairs and research investigators, she will direct the strategic advancement of research programs originating in all of the basic science, clinical, and health sciences departments.
“In this vital leadership role, Dr. Hall will continue to expand our school’s ability to achieve our research and clinical missions — promoting innovative and impactful cross-disciplinary research programs between faculty in all departments within our school as well as the wider university community,” said Barbara Lee Bass, MD, professor of surgery, Walter A. Bloedorn Chair of Administrative Medicine, vice president for health affairs, dean of the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and CEO of The GW Medical Faculty Associates. “Her work will play an essential part in enabling the school to foster the translation of research into clinical excellence.”
Hall will draw upon her decades of experience in research and national leadership to leverage GW’s strengths and to help build programming in strategic areas of research. Previously for SMHS, she served as Interim Senior Associate Dean for Research since October 2023 as well as the Associate Dean for Research Workforce Development since July 2017. Prior to her work at GW, Hall led a highly productive and well-funded research program focused on neural development and the peripheral nervous system at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, where she also led and renewed several National Institutes of Health (NIH) research education and training programs. She was elected to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Research, Education, and Training steering committee and served as president of the Association for Neuroscience Departments and Programs and is a graduate of the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program.
In addition, Hall was the deputy director of the Division of Training, Workforce Development, and Diversity at the National Institute of General Medical Science where she led the overall assessments of the several programs to support students from underrepresented backgrounds to enter PhD programs and reported on MD “on-ramps” to research careers. Hall continues to serve on numerous NIH scientific review committees, and AAMC groups.
“I look forward to growing SMHS research programs and increasing the visibility of the school’s research enterprise,” said Hall. “This is an exciting time to be at SMHS to work with our chairs and research committees to continue our upward trajectory.”
She earned her PhD in developmental genetics and anatomy/neuroscience and completed her postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Pharmacology at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She received her BA in biochemistry and cell biology from the University of California, San Diego.
Hall assumed the role of Senior Associate Dean for Research on March 15, 2024.
“I’d like to thank search committee chair Mardi Gomberg-Maitland, MD, Walter G. Ross Professor of Clinical Research for her leadership in conducting this important work as well as the search committee members and our colleagues across the enterprise for providing thoughtful guidance during this process,” added Bass.
