Dr. Don Chase Rockey is a distinguished leader in digestive disease research and academic medicine with significant contributions to clinical investigation. He currently serves as Distinguished University Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina where he has provided visionary leadership since joining in September 2012. A native of Florida, Dr. Rockey previously held the position of Division Chief of Liver and Digestive Diseases at UT-Southwestern Medical Center, bringing extensive expertise in both clinical care and research administration to his role at MUSC. His career trajectory reflects a steadfast commitment to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes through rigorous scientific inquiry and academic leadership.
Dr. Rockey maintains an active and influential research portfolio focused on digestive and liver diseases, with particular expertise in mechanisms of liver fibrosis and portal hypertension. As Director of the MUSC Digestive Disease Research Core Center, he oversees a comprehensive research program that has significantly advanced understanding of gastrointestinal pathophysiology and informed clinical practice guidelines. His scholarly work has been consistently supported by NIH funding, demonstrating both scientific rigor and translational relevance to human disease. The impact of his research extends beyond academia, influencing treatment approaches for complex digestive disorders and establishing frameworks for future investigation in the field.
Elected to the prestigious American Society for Clinical Investigation in 2001, Dr. Rockey has demonstrated sustained excellence in biomedical research throughout his distinguished career. He plays a vital role in mentoring the next generation of physician-scientists and has fostered collaborative research networks that span multiple institutions and disciplines. Under his leadership, the Department of Medicine at MUSC has expanded its clinical and research infrastructure to address emerging challenges in digestive health and develop innovative therapeutic approaches. Dr. Rockey continues to champion cutting-edge research that bridges basic science discoveries with clinical applications, promising further advancements in the understanding and treatment of gastrointestinal and liver diseases for improved patient care worldwide.
