An investiture ceremony was held June 10, 2009 to recognize Dr. Bartley P. Griffith, MD, as the first recipient of the Thomas and Alice Marie Hales Distinguished Professorship in Transplant Surgery. Dr. Griffith has been a professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine since 2001. This endowed professorship was funded by the Hales to show their  appreciation for Dr. Griffith, who performed a life-saving double lung transplant on Mr. Hales.

"An endowed professorship is indicative of superior performance in the classroom, the laboratory and in the clinical setting," said Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA when presenting Dr. Griffith with a medal to acknowledge his endowed professorship. "In the world of academia, endowed professorships are a coveted and universally recognized accolade, signaling a colleague at the top of his or her field."

This is certainly true of Dr. Griffith, whose clinical work focuses on treating patients with the most severe forms of heart and lung disease and whose research interests are concentrated on heart and lung transplantation and advancing the use of artificial organs. Dr. Griffith has published more than 500 papers and has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health as a principal research investigator since 1988. His research funding has paved the way for the development of an artificial lung and a pediatric heart pump, as well as a study to reduce muscle scarring after heart attacks.

"It's a pleasure for us as a family to be able to honor someone as distinguished as Dr. Griffith," said Mr. Hales, who came with his wife, son and daughter from their home in New York for the ceremony. "I've talked to a lot of thoracic surgeons, and every time I mention his name they say, 'He's the best in the world, you couldn't have a better doctor.' So on behalf of us and our children and our grandchildren, I want to thank you," he told Dr. Griffith. "You're a hell of a guy!"

Dr. Griffith thinks much the same of Mr. Hales. "You have been a wonderful example of a patient who takes very good care of himself," he said. "And what you are doing for this university truly can never be repaid. This will go a long way in establishing us as a center for continuous innovation and patient care."

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The Thomas E. and Alice Marie Hales Distinguished Professorship will be open-ended. The Hales Foundation has funded the first $2.5 million, and the Hales are allowing further contributions in order to enhance the value of this Distinguished Professorship.

All such donations should be sent directly to the University of Maryland Development Office:

Tierra Dorsey, Director of Development
University of Maryland School of Medicine
100 N. Greene Street, Suite 600
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Telephone: (410) 706-2846
Facsimile: (410) 706-2995
Email:  tdorsey@som.umaryland.edu

Donations of any size will be acknowledged, and the Development Office will notify the Hales Foundation.