June 2, 2026
Dear Members of the RSOM Department of Medicine Community,
I am delighted to announce the appointment of Bettina Fries, M.D., FIDSA, FACP, FAAAS, as the inaugural Diana Briann Lawson Endowed Professorship in Medicine. This landmark distinction recognizes Dr. Fries’ extraordinary contributions as an international leader in infectious diseases, a dedicated educator, and a pioneering physician-scientist.
This newly established endowed professorship was made possible through a deeply meaningful and generous contribution from Dr. William Lawson and his wife, Dr. Dona Hills. Dr. Lawson (a revered interventional cardiologist who has dedicated his career to Stony Brook Medicine for more than 40 years) and Dr. Hills established this endowment as a poignant tribute in loving memory of their daughter, Diana. By providing ongoing funding, this endowment will support Dr. Fries in advancing clinical care, pursuing groundbreaking research, and educating future generations of medical professionals — ensuring Diana’s legacy continues to shape our department’s excellence for years to come.
Dr. Fries is a SUNY Distinguished Professor and serves as the Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Department of Medicine, with a joint appointment in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. After earning her medical degree from the University of Freiburg and completing a doctoral thesis at the Max Planck Institute für Immunbiologie, she trained at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Montefiore Medical Center, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Since joining Stony Brook Medicine in 2014 as a division chief, she has profoundly expanded the division's clinical footprint, research output, and educational programs.
In addition to being a pioneering scientist in the field of fungal pathogenesis with over 100 original scientific manuscripts and over 25 years of continuous funding from the NIH and VA, Dr. Fries is an exceptional mentor and received the RSOM’s Excellence in Faculty Mentoring Award in 2024. She is also honored by many prestigious professional organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American College of Physicians (ACP), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and the American Academy of Microbiology.
Dr. Fries perfectly embodies the dedication to innovation, research excellence, and compassionate care that the Diana Briann Lawson Endowed Professorship aims to perpetuate. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Fries on this well-deserved, prestigious recognition and in extending our deepest gratitude to Dr. Lawson and Dr. Hills for their profound philanthropy.
Sincerely,
Vincent W. Yang, M.D., Ph.D.
SUNY Distinguished Professor
Simons Chair of Medicine
Department of Medicine
Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University