Dean Biographies

Stanley G. Schultz, M.D.

The University of Texas Medical School at Houston

2004-2006; Dean
2003-2004; Interim Dean

Stanley G. Schultz, M.D., is a former dean of The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, a position he assumed in June 2004 following a year of service as interim dean.

A faculty member at the UT Medical School since 1979, Dr. Schultz is the former chair of the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology (1979–1995) and held the Fondren Family Chair in Cellular Signaling. He also served as associate dean for institutional advancement before his retirement in 2010. He is widely recognized as both an outstanding scientist and educator who has made numerous contributions to our understanding of epithelial ion transport. His early work demonstrated, for the first time, sodium-coupled sugar and amino acid absorption by the small intestine. These and subsequent findings established the “sodium-gradient” hypothesis and provided the rationale for the later development of oral rehydration therapy. He was also one of the first to recognize the roles of paracellular pathways in epithelia and suggested, with colleagues, a cellular model for chloride secretion by epithelial cells that is now widely accepted. His many contributions including popular textbooks have placed his name on lists of the 1,000 most-cited contemporary scientists and the 35 most-cited contemporary physiologists by the Institute for Scientific Information.

A native of New York City, he received his baccalaureate, summa cum laude, from Columbia University and his medical degree from New York University. After serving an internship and residency in internal medicine, he became a fellow in cardiology and developed an interest in electrocardiography. This interest prompted him to learn more about membrane biophysics and led him to join the Biophysical Laboratories of the Harvard Medical School under the direction of A. K. Solomon in the late 1950s.

In 1962, he was inducted into the Air Force as a captain in the Medical Corps and was stationed at the Brooks Aerospace School of Medicine in San Antonio, Texas, where he taught radiation biology, monitored research contracts, and conducted research regarding the biological effects of radiation. This work led to his lifelong interest in epithelial transport.

Returning to Harvard as an Established Investigator of the American Heart Association in 1964, he was recruited within three years to join the Department of Physiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine as an associate professor and was promoted to the rank of professor.

Since his arrival at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, he has been recognized continually for his research, administrative leadership, and popularity among the students and faculty for his teaching abilities. His lectures have been known to bring standing ovations, and his enthusiasm and dedication to teaching have resulted in numerous teaching and faculty awards. In 1999, he received the President's Scholar Award from the UT Health Science Center at Houston for his many teaching accomplishments.

A member of the American Physiological Society for the past three decades, Dr. Schultz served as president from 1992-1993. Among his many editorial roles for professional journals in his field, he has served as editor of the American Journal of Physiology and the Journal of Applied Physiology (sections on gastrointestinal physiology), Physiological Reviews, and News in Physiological Sciences. Through his popular textbooks and nearly 200 professional publications, he is well-recognized throughout the scientific community. In 2000, the American Physiological Society honored his many contributions with their prestigious Daggs Award. Additionally, he is an active and contributing member of numerous other professional organizations in the field of physiology.

Dr. Schultz is married to Dr. Harriet Schultz, a clinical psychologist. “As dean, it's helpful to have a therapist nearby,” Dean Schultz joked. Together they have been married more than 40 years, have two sons, and are proud grandparents.