As Dean Dr. Val Hemming led the design and development of a large patient simulation center presently used both for teaching clinical skills and clinical skills testing at USHUS. For over 30 years as well as being a practicing pediatrician for military families, he conducted basic science and clinical research programs examining the pathogenesis of bacterial and viral infections caused by Lancefield group B streptococci and by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). His research resulted in the development and FDA licensure of two biological agents (Respigam and Synagis) for the prevention of RSV infections in infants and young children. Since retirement he has developed a rodent (North American cotton rat) model of pulmonary tuberculosis to examine the natural history and pathogenesis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections.