The Department of Internal Medicine is proud to announce that Kimberly E. Hanson, MD, MHS, has been appointed as the inaugural holder of the Spotswood and Joanne Spruance Endowed Chair in Infectious Diseases.

This distinguished appointment honors the legacy of Dr. Woody Spruance, whose pioneering research in herpes viruses laid the foundation for advances that continue to shape the field today. Building on this foundation, Dr. Hanson’s laboratory is leading innovative research to develop a next-generation sequencing assay designed to rapidly detect acyclovir resistance in herpes simplex virus (HSV). Her work expands our understanding of resistance mechanisms, enhances global databases, and strengthens the Division of Infectious Diseases’ ability to drive future scientific breakthroughs.

Dr. Hanson is board-certified in Adult Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology. She is nationally recognized for her expertise in diagnosing and managing opportunistic viral, fungal, and mycobacterial diseases. Her primary clinical focus is caring for patients with transplant- and cancer chemotherapy-related infections.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Hanson on this well-deserved honor and in celebrating the continued growth and impact of infectious diseases research at the University of Utah.