Dr. Mobley, who served as interim director of the institute since its founding in 2019, brings decades of experience to this newly appointed role. He is a board-certified neurologist who cares for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders, and currently serves as Associate Dean of Neurosciences Initiatives and Distinguished Professor of Neurosciences at UC San Diego School of Medicine, and Executive Director of UC San Diego's Down Syndrome Center for Research and Treatment.
Through the many facets of his work, Dr. Mobley has demonstrated a deep commitment to research excellence and medical education. He is considered one of the world’s foremost experts on the neurobiology of Down syndrome. His research, which encompasses more than 30 years of studying the causes of dysfunction in neural circuitry in neurodegenerative disorders, has paved the way for the development of novel treatments.
Dr. Mobley has been published widely in renowned peer-reviewed journals and has served on the editorial board of several major professional publications, including the journal Neurobiology of Disease. He has also served on multiple scientific advisory committees and boards for national organizations, including the National Association for Autism Research, The Larry L. Hillblom Foundation, and the Bluefield Project.
As director, Dr. Mobley will further the innovation and vision of the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion by providing intellectual and strategic direction for its centers and programmatic and administrative structure. He will partner with academic leaders at UC San Diego and beyond to guide empathy and compassion research and medical education initiatives in accordance with the values and mission of UC San Diego.
The Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion is the first of its kind, representing an unprecedented blending of two parallel themes: employing rigorous science to understand the neurological basis for empathy and identify the mechanisms that transform compassion from biology to behavior, as well as developing novel ways to teach and sustain empathy and compassion in clinicians across the professional lifespan. The institute consists of six centers that focus on specific domains within empathy and compassion, including social justice, technology, communications, mentorship, training, and research. Their data and discoveries promote wellness programs to prevent, intercept, and reverse the burnout epidemic afflicting the healthcare community.
We congratulate Dr. Mobley on his well-deserved appointment as director of the Sanford Institute and recognize his fervent effort to understand and enhance empathy and compassion on the UC San Diego campus and beyond.
