Children’s of Alabama welcomes new chair of Department of Pediatrics and Physician in Chief

Birmingham, AL – After a national search, Children’s of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) are pleased to announce Dr. Yung Lau as the new chair of the UAB Department of Pediatrics and Physician in Chief at Children’s of Alabama, effective March 24, 2025.

Lau has served as interim chair of Pediatrics since Nov. 1, 2024. He took over this role before the departure of Mitch Cohen, M.D., who served as the Pediatrics chair for 10 years. Lau is also a professor and the vice chair of Clinical Affairs in the Department of Pediatrics, where he holds the Thomas N. Carruthers Endowed Chair in Cardiology. He also 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 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.”

Lau is a nationally recognized expert in pediatric electrophysiology, including arrhythmia management with catheter ablation, pacing and device. His other major research focus is congenital heart disease. He has delivered lectures at events around the country, including conferences of the Heart Rhythm Society and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology. He has contributed to more than 40 published manuscripts and authored several 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.”

Lau earned his medical degree from Loma Linda University in California before conducting his internship and residency in Pediatrics at UAB. He completed 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. Children’s is a private, not-for-profit medical center that serves as the teaching hospital for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) pediatric medicine, surgery, psychiatry, research and residency programs. The medical staff consists of UAB faculty and Children’s full-time physicians, as well as private practicing community physicians.

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