Announcing the Appointment of José M. Barral Sánchez, MD, PhD, as Vice Dean for the UCSF Regional Campus at Fresno

We are pleased to announce the appointment of José M. Barral Sánchez, MD, PhD, as Vice Dean for the UCSF Regional Campus at Fresno, effective May 1, 2025. This newly established role supports UCSF Fresno’s expansion as a regional campus. Dr. Barral Sánchez will oversee medical education, faculty development, and research growth, including our expanding partnership with UC Merced.

We would like to thank the search committee, chaired by Karen Hauer, MD, PhD, for their work in considering an exceptional pool of candidates for this position.

Dr. Barral Sánchez joins UCSF from the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (KPSOM), where he has served as inaugural Chair of Biomedical Science and founding Co-Director of the MD-PhD Program with Caltech since 2018. He previously held leadership roles at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, including Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Vice Chair of Neuroscience, Cell Biology & Anatomy.

His extensive experience includes:

• Founding and leading academic departments and research programs.
• Managing multimillion-dollar budgets and faculty recruitment.
• Collaborating with medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions.
• Engaging with accrediting bodies and national medical education organizations.
• Expanding diversity, inclusion, and community engagement initiatives.

Dr. Barral Sánchez previously served as Senior Representative for the Council of Faculty and Academic Societies within the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and has been a member of its Group on Graduate Research, Education, and Training. He also held a three-term appointment (2013–2019) on the Education and Professional Development Committee of the American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (ASBMB), where he contributed to shaping policies supporting educational program accreditation and academic excellence.

Dr. Barral Sánchez is an experienced educator and researcher. He has received multiple teaching accolades during his career, including the University of Texas System Regents Outstanding Teaching Award. Dr. Barral Sánchez is a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences and his research on protein folding and neurodegenerative disorders has been published in prestigious journals, including Nature, Cell, and Science.

Dr. Barral Sánchez is deeply committed to the development of trainees and faculty. As a founding member of a network of basic science chairs from eight emerging U.S. medical schools, he helped address challenges in medical education and promote best practices for faculty advancement. He remains actively engaged in national collaborations with medical educators to expand career development opportunities for trainees and faculty from diverse backgrounds. 

With a career dedicated to academic leadership, faculty mentorship, and community-driven medical education, Dr. Barral Sánchez is well-positioned to advance the UCSF Regional Campus at Fresno’s mission of improving healthcare in the San Joaquin Valley. Please join us in welcoming him to the UCSF School of Medicine and congratulating him on this new role.