Joe W. Ramsdell, M.D., is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of General Internal Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Ramsdell was a member of the Alliance Board at its inception. He is a practicing general internist at the University of California, San Diego, and pulmonologist with a research interest in chronic disease management, with a specific interest in airways diseases such as asthma and COPD.

Dr. Ramsdell is Director of the UCSD Clinical Trials Center and Airway Research Center. This research center is funded by federal, foundation and industry grants. Dr. Ramsdell is also a working member of several important national networks including the Asthma Clinical Research Center, sponsored by the American Lung Association, and the UCSD COPDGene™ Study, a multi-center trial with the overall goal of conducting a comprehensive genome-wide association (GWA) study to identify genes influencing COPD. In addition to his personal practice, Dr. Ramsdell has an ongoing interest in general internal medicine, chronic disease management, and healthcare delivery. The Division of General Internal Medicine at UCSD includes over 120 general internists at the University of California, San Diego, and San Diego Veterans Administration Health Services system. Under the direction of Dr. Ramsdell, these UCSD faculty members are involved in cutting-edge health services research, as well as, personal care and most importantly, teaching.