Christopher Hess, MD, PhD, has been appointed the new chair of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) department of radiology and biomedical imaging, effective Jan. 1, 2018. Hess joined UCSF in 2008 and is currently a professor of radiology and neurology, as well as the chief of neuroradiology.

“Past accomplishments have made UCSF the No. 1 radiology department in the world, and other institutions look to us to define the standard of practice and the future of the field," Hess said in a statement. "I am convinced that we will continue to grow in stature as imaging becomes a stronger and stronger catalyst for healthcare delivery.”

Hess holds leadership positions in the Radiological Society of North America, the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and the American Society for Neuroradiology. He is also on the editorial board of the American Journal of Neuroradiology and the next deputy editor for Radiology.

"I am confident that Dr. Hess will bring strong leadership and an in-depth understanding of UCSF's organizational culture to this position, and I know he will work tirelessly to further advance the department's remarkable pool of talent and resources for the benefit of the entire institution," Talmadge E. King Jr., MD, dean of the UCSF School of Medicine, said in the same statement.