New faculty join UMMC academic ranks
Medical Center leadership is proud to announce the following additions to its faculty and leadership staff.
Dr. John Gebhard
Dr. John Gebhard, director of technology transfer in the Office of Intellectual Property Management and Commercialization, has joined the School of Medicine as an assistant professor in the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology.
Gebhard was appointed director of technology transfer in March 2026 and brings more than two decades of experience spanning academic technology transfer, disease foundation leadership and the biopharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining UMMC, he held leadership positions at Indiana University, the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the University of Utah, where his work encompassed licensing strategy, startup development, accelerator programs and industry partnerships. He also served in translational research leadership at JDRF, directing a portfolio of investments aimed at advancing therapies from discovery toward the clinic, and as vice president of research at Inflabloc Pharmaceuticals, where he led preclinical drug development.
Across these roles, he has helped translate discoveries in therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, and digital health into commercial opportunities that advance research and improve patient outcomes. He has guided numerous inventions through patent prosecution and licensing and has been invited to present translational research and commercialization at national and international conferences.
In his dual roles at UMMC, Gebhard works to advance innovation, support faculty research and accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries from the laboratory to real-world impact.
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Dr. Charles A. Huffman
The state’s only dental school is welcoming Dr. Charles A. Huffman to its faculty as an assistant professor at the School of Dentistry, where he will focus on endodontics.
Before beginning his career in dentistry, Huffman served as a science teacher in north Mississippi. In 2015, he enrolled in the School of Dentistry, where he distinguished himself academically and received several prestigious awards.
Huffman earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree in December 2019 and completed endodontics training at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 2024. He brings more than five years of clinical experience to his new role, most recently serving as an endodontist with Endodontic Associates in Ridgeland and Vicksburg.
He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Mississippi Dental Association and the American Association of Endodontists.
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Dr. David Knox Langford
Dr. David Knox Langford, a pediatric dentist, has joined the faculty of the School of Dentistry as an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry.
An Atlanta native, Langford comes to the University of Mississippi Medical Center from the University of Florida College of Dentistry. He is a board-certified pediatric dentist and has served in this specialty since 2024 following his time in private practice.
Langford is a University of Mississippi graduate, Class of 2017. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 2021 from Columbia University Medical Center. He has authored several research publications, abstracts, and grant proposals throughout his academic and professional career.
He is fluent in English and Spanish and is an avid sports fan, supporting the Ole Miss Rebels as well as the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons, New York Rangers, Atlanta United FC and Chelsea Football Club.