Remembering David Ramsay, DM, DPhil

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of David Ramsay, DM, DPhil. Dr. Ramsay joined UCSF in 1976 as a faculty member in the Department of Physiology and chaired that department on an acting basis for one year prior to his appointment as Senior Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs in 1982.

During his 12-year tenure as Senior Vice Chancellor, UCSF rose to national eminence, particularly in the areas of strengthened academic programs and increased community involvement. During this period, Dr. Ramsay developed a special interest in science policy and issues surrounding technology development and intellectual property.

In 1994, Dr. Ramsay became the President of the University of Maryland at Baltimore. He spent 16 years in Maryland before retiring and returning to San Francisco. In 2010, Dr. Ramsay joined the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (IND) as Associate Director, where he skillfully nurtured the Institute from an aspiration into an internationally recognized program focused on neurodegeneration and drug discovery.

Dr. Ramsay will be dearly missed by his many friends and colleagues at UCSF and throughout the world. On behalf of the School of Medicine, we would like to extend our condolences to his family, friends, and close colleagues.