Douglas Morgan, MD, a global expert in the epidemiology and prevention of gastric cancer has been named Director of the UAB Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.

Morgan has been on faculty at Vanderbilt University, where he has practiced since 2011. His priorities include expanding the division's clinical, educational and research programs to best meet the needs of Alabamians and to advance the treatment of GI diseases globally.

"It is an honor to join one of the top institutions in the nation," Morgan said. "We look forward to further growing our mission."

Morgan has extensive global health experience, rooted in service as a Peace Corps engineer in Central America. He currently directs or co-directs National Institute of Health-funded programs for gastric cancer in molecular epidemiology, chemoprevention and appropriate technologies in Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia and Puerto Rico.

Prior to practicing at Vanderbilt, he was a member of the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he founded UNC's Center for Latino Health. For his service, he was awarded the Ohtli Award, one of the highest honors awarded by the government of Mexico to a foreign national.

He takes over for Mel Wilcox, MD, who has served as director of the division since 2001.