Thomas Rosenquist, Ph.D., has been appointed to the newly-created position
of director of research development for the University of Nebraska Medical
Center. In addition to this new responsibility, Dr. Rosenquist will continue
to serve as chairman and professor of the Cell Biology and Anatomy Department,
the position he has held since joining UNMC in 1992.
“I’m delighted that Dr. Rosenquist has agreed to serve in this new position,”
said Harold M. Maurer, M.D., UNMC chancellor. AWe are committed to doubling
the amount of research on our campus over the next five years and tripling
it over the next 10 years. To accomplish this, it’s going to take a campus-wide
effort. Dr. Rosenquist played a key role in the development and implementation
of the Research and Education Advisory Panel (REAP) and has long been an
advocate of research development on campus, making him an ideal candidate
for this position. He’s a researcher who has been funded by the National
Institutes of Health. He has the moxie and the experience to move us forward
in this critical initiative.”
Dr. Rosenquist will report directly to the chancellor. In addition to
increasing research dollars, which exceeded $34 million in 1997-98, Dr.
Rosenquist’s other accountabilities will include:
* identifying and facilitating new research initiatives and affinity
group formation;
* leading the research strategic agenda;
* developing a faculty incentive program for research excellence;
* identifying available space and helping plan new research space;
* identifying and facilitating research programs for community support;
* raising awareness of UneMed Corp., the company responsible for identifying
discoveries made by UNMC/Nebraska Health System faculty, staff and students
and moving them into the marketplace;
* working with unit research coordinators to meet interdisciplinary
needs and facilitating joint research program planning;
* developing joint research programs with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
and the University of Nebraska at Omaha;
* aiding in faculty recruitment, retention and research infrastructure
development;
* assessing core facilities and eliminating unnecessary duplications;
* and determining how best to invest REAP funds in developing research.
“I look forward with great pleasure to the possibility of having a part
in the growth of research at UNMC,” Dr. Rosenquist said. “(University of
Nebraska) President (L. Dennis) Smith and Chancellor Maurer both are scientists
with international reputations, and they know what it takes to move us
ahead in the research arena. I look forward as well to the prospects of
interacting with UNMC’s outstanding group of investigators, as we move
our Medical Center into the 21st century.”
Dr. Rosenquist, who earlier this year was named to the Von Housen Professorship,
joined UNMC after 22 years of prior experience in academic medicine, including
four years at the University of Southern California School of Medicine
and 18 years at the Medical College of Georgia. Under his leadership, the
UNMC Cell Biology and Anatomy Department was honored with the University-wide
Departmental Teaching Award in 1997. The $25,000 award recognized the department
for its strong commitment to the education of students and for its contribution
to teaching excellence in the University of Nebraska System.
The department was recognized for several areas of excellence, including
having a large number of outstanding teaching award recipients; exceptional
performance by students in national standardized examinations; faculty
participation in innovative curricula; and the success of graduates in
the graduate training program.
An outstanding researcher, Dr. Rosenquist attracted national and international
attention in 1998 when he headed a research study which determined that
the key ingredient in non-prescription cough medicine can produce a variety
of birth defects and fetal death in an animal model, thus suggesting that
pregnant women might want to avoid using cough medicine.
He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Dubuque in
1964, his master’s degree in 1967 from New Mexico Highlands State University,
and his doctorate from Louisiana State University in 1969. As a developmental
biologist, his research has focused primarily on arterial problems and
neural tube defects.
UNMC is the only public academic health science center in the state.
Through its commitment to research, education, outreach and patient care,
UNMC has established itself as one of the country’s leading centers for
cancer research and treatment and solid organ transplantation. In addition,
UNMC’s educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals
practicing in Nebraska than any other institution.