Thomas J. Wang to Become Dean of University of Michigan Medical School in 2025
Nationally acclaimed physician-scientist Thomas J. Wang has been appointed as the new dean of the University of Michigan Medical School, starting September 15, 2025. Alongside his role as dean, he will serve as a tenured professor in the Department of Internal Medicine. His appointment will be officially presented to the Board of Regents on September 18.
Wang succeeds Marschall Runge, who held the roles of dean, executive vice president for medical affairs, and CEO of Michigan Medicine, making history as the first to do so simultaneously. Runge is stepping down to rejoin the faculty, ending his tenure which began in 2015 as CEO and 2016 as dean. Laurie McCauley and David Miller praised the search advisory committee and acknowledged Runge’s contributions during the transition.
David Miller expressed enthusiasm about Wang’s vision and alignment with Michigan Medicine’s goals, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Wang to our leadership team.” Wang will report to both the provost and the executive vice president for medical affairs.
Laurie McCauley highlighted Wang’s qualifications, emphasizing, “His scholarship encompasses the continuum from fundamental research to clinical application.” Currently, Wang is a professor and chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, holding the Donald W. Seldin Distinguished Chair in Internal Medicine.
Joining UT Southwestern in 2020, Wang guided the Department of Internal Medicine through the COVID-19 pandemic, managing nearly 500 hospitalized patients daily. “I’m truly honored to join the University of Michigan and Michigan Medicine,” said Wang. His career began after graduating summa cum laude from Harvard College, followed by a medical degree from Harvard Medical School.
Wang’s extensive research in cardiovascular biomarkers and prevention has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health and the Clarivate/Web of Science Highly Cited Researchers List. As chair of UT Southwestern’s Department of Internal Medicine, he expanded faculty by over 400 and increased clinical and research activities by nearly 50%. He also held leadership roles at the institutional level, including co-chairing the strategic planning committee.
Nationally, Wang is president-elect of the Association of Professors of Medicine and a member of the FDA Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee. His dedication to education earned him the American Heart Association Genomics and Precision Medicine Mentoring Award in 2024.
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