The Dr. Theodore G. Obenchain Endowed Chair in Developmental Biology was established in 2023 by Dr. Ted Obenchain, a 2023 recipient of Boise State University’s prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award. 

A retired neurosurgeon, Obenchain graduated from Boise Junior College in 1957, and studied medicine at the University of Utah before interning at the Bellevue Hospital in New York. For more than a quarter century, he practiced medicine in northern San Diego County, pioneering a new surgical technique that reduced pain, the use of pain medications, and hospital time for certain spinal surgery patients; and received patents for several surgical instruments. 

From 1990 to 1992, Obenchain served as president of the San Diego Academy of Neurological Surgeons, and published more than 20 articles and delivered presentations at international conferences. He retired from active medical practice in 2005. Obenchain has written several books on medical history. 

Obenchain’s interest in Hox genes — genes that guide the development of numerous complex structures like the skeleton and central nervous system — led him to support Boise State University, where, in 2023, he endowed the endowed chair in developmental biology in his name. 

Endowed faculty positions advance research and expand knowledge, and provide resources that empower faculty and students. They are a pillar of the Unbridled campaign, alongside endowed scholarships and support of Bronco athletics through the What’s Next initiative.