Following a campus-wide search, Michelle Gray, Ph.D., has been named Associate Dean for Graduate Biomedical Sciences in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Graduate School, effective Nov. 1.
Gray is the Jarman F. Lowder Endowed Professor in Neuroscience and a Professor in the Department of Neurology in the Heersink School of Medicine. An internationally recognized neuroscientist, she has made pioneering contributions to understanding Huntington’s disease and the role of glial cells in neurodegeneration.
Gray succeeds Laurie Harrington, Ph.D., who has served as interim associate dean for Graduate Biomedical Sciences since January 2025.
“I’m grateful to Dr. Harrington for leading the GBS program for almost two years. She has contributed immensely to the success of GBS students as well as to the program’s operations, and we now welcome Dr. Gray to the role of associate dean,” said Kana, Ph.D., interim dean of the Graduate School.
In addition to her research accomplishments as an NIH-funded investigator, Gray has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to mentoring and training the next generation of biomedical scientists. Through her work with the UAB Center for Neurodegeneration and Experimental Therapeutics, her laboratory supports undergraduate and graduate trainees and provides high school students with opportunities to gain research experience. These efforts include training in general laboratory techniques and guidance on developing and presenting science projects for fairs and competitions.
Gray has also held several leadership roles in graduate and undergraduate education at UAB, including co-director of the GBS Neuroscience Theme, Associate Director of the Neuroscience Roadmap Scholars (RMS) Program (NINDS R25), Co-Director of the Summer in Biomedical Sciences Program, and Co-Principal Investigator for the UAB Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program (NIGMS T34). She has further contributed to academic and research initiatives through service on departmental, school, and university-wide committees.
Nationally, Dr. Gray is a member of the scientific advisory board of the Huntington’s Disease Foundation and past-chair of the scientific advisory board of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. She is also the chair of the Society for Neuroscience program committee theme on Neural Aging and Degeneration.
“Dr. Gray’s dedication to scientific excellence, trainee success, and creating inclusive pathways into biomedical research has made her a respected leader at UAB and throughout the neuroscience community,” Kana said.
“I’m honored to take on this role and look forward to working with Dr. Kana, GBS theme directors and staff to continue to impact the training and development of our talented graduate students. It is my goal to further the development of a world-class PhD program that produces graduates ready to tackle the scientific challenges of the day and move biomedical sciences forward,” said Gray.
Gray earned her Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from The Ohio State University. She completed postdoctoral training in the laboratory of Dr. William X. Yang, M.D., Ph.D., at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles. During her postdoctoral research, Gray developed a bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic mouse model, known as BACHD, that contains the full-length mutated human huntingtin gene and is used to study Huntington’s disease. The model has been widely adopted by research laboratories worldwide and was the first mouse model to prove the efficacy of targeting the human huntingtin mRNA using antisense oligonucleotides for therapeutic intervention. Gray continues to use mouse genetic approaches to investigate the mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases.