Birmingham, AL – After a nationwide search, Children’s of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have named Dr. Yung Lau as the new chair of the UAB Department of Pediatrics and Physician in Chief at Children’s of Alabama. His appointment will take effect on March 24, 2025.
Dr. Lau has been serving as interim chair of Pediatrics since November 1, 2024, following the departure of Dr. Mitch Cohen, who led the department for a decade. In addition to his new role, Lau is a professor and vice chair of Clinical Affairs in the Department of Pediatrics. He holds the Thomas N. Carruthers Endowed Chair in Cardiology and serves as division director for Pediatric Cardiology.
“It is an honor to serve as chair of a department where I have been a proud faculty member for more than 30 years,” said Dr. Lau. “We are a thriving department whose faculty have dynamic ambition. We will harness this dynamism to fulfill our tripartite mission as we continuously improve our care of the children of Alabama and beyond—both for the patient in front of us and for the future.”
Dr. Lau is a nationally recognized expert in pediatric electrophysiology, specializing in arrhythmia management through catheter ablation, pacing, and devices. His research also focuses on congenital heart disease. He has been an invited speaker at national conferences such as those hosted by the Heart Rhythm Society and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology. Additionally, he has contributed to over 40 published manuscripts and authored multiple book chapters.
“Dr. Lau’s dedication to advancing pediatric care and research makes him an exceptional choice to lead the department,” said Tom Shufflebarger, president and CEO of Children’s of Alabama. “I am confident that under his guidance, the Department of Pediatrics and Children’s of Alabama will thrive in their shared mission of providing the finest pediatric care to all children while fostering excellence in research and medical education.”
Dr. Lau earned his medical degree from Loma Linda University in California before completing his internship and residency in Pediatrics at UAB. He went on to complete a Pediatric Cardiology postdoctoral fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina before joining the UAB faculty in 1994.
Since 1911, Children’s of Alabama has provided specialized medical care for ill and injured children, offering inpatient, outpatient, and primary care throughout Central Alabama. Ranked among the best children’s hospitals in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s serves patients from every county in Alabama and nearly every state. The private, not-for-profit medical center also serves as the teaching hospital for UAB’s pediatric medicine, surgery, psychiatry, research, and residency programs. Its medical staff consists of UAB faculty and Children’s full-time physicians, as well as private-practicing community physicians.
