Dean of TCU’s nursing school who ‘transformed’ Parkinson’s research dies at 53
.jpg "B 13-11-10 | Christopher Watts, professor and chair of the department of communication sciences and disorders in TCU's Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences, holds an enlarged model of the human larynx. Photo by Carolyn Cruz, October 2013.")
Christopher Watts, 53, the dean of TCU’s Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences, died of cancer on Jan. 14, the university announced Saturday.
“It is with profound sadness that we share news of the death of our Dean,” TCU wrote in a social media post. “Christopher Watts was a respected and compassionate leader whose loss is felt across Harris College and the entire TCU community.”
Watts spent nearly two decades at TCU, focusing on building programs that transformed research and care for those with Parkinson’s disease. His research started with a Parkinson’s-related dissertation that featured more than 80 peer-reviewed publications examining how the disease affects speech, voice, and swallowing over three decades of study.
Watts also created the Tarrant County Parkinson’s group, which met multiple times a year on TCU’s campus. The group aimed to bring together patients, caregivers, faculty and students to discuss treatments and offer support.
“Chris Watts was a visionary leader who understood that great research serves real people,” said Floyd L. Wormley, TCU’s provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, in a statement shared by the university. “His work illustrated the power of scientific inquiry combined with deep compassion for patients and their families. Chris set the standard for what it means to pursue excellence while staying grounded in community impact.”
Watts also co-founded TCU’s Center for Neurodegenerative Disease in 2024, which established Fort Worth as a hub for research and support in Parkinson’s and dementia.
“Chris Watts exemplified TCU’s deepest commitments,” said TCU Chancellor Daniel Pullin. “To education that transforms, to research that serves our community and to leadership grounded in genuine care for others. His legacy will continue through the students he mentored and the community he brought together in common purpose.”
Watts first joined TCU in 2008 as director and chair of the Davies School of Communication Sciences and Disorders after earning a doctorate from the University of South Alabama. In that role, the Davies school grew undergraduate population by 60% and graduate enrollment by 70%, according to the university.
He also led a major renovation campaign of Davies’ facilities, while also guiding the school to expanded clinical services and increased financial aid for graduate students.
Watts was named dean of Harris College in 2019 and oversaw the establishment of the school’s first Ph.D. program. He also brought in nearly $18 million in gifts and commitments to Harris during his tenure as dean. Those donations included major endowments for distinguished chairs and student scholarships.
“TCU lost someone truly great this week,” said TCU Board of Trustee member Marilyn Davies. “His time at TCU and on earth was too short, but his vision and ideas elevated TCU and all of the Harris College programs. This is also a personal loss for me and my family. He was a friend and has been an inspiration to us.”
Watts is survived by his wife, Deborah Watts, his daughters Lindsey and Emily Watts, and all the students, faculty and families whose lives he touched during his time at TCU, the university said.
This story was originally published January 20, 2026 at 4:15 PM.
