Dr. MacDonald to retire from UNMC on July 1

Richard MacDonald, PhD, a professor in the UNMC Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology who has long been recognized for his teaching, will retire from UNMC on July 1.

A retirement tea to recognize Dr. MacDonald will be held Wednesday, June 21, from 2-4 p.m. in the Wigton Heritage Center. Remarks are planned at 2:30 p.m.

Dr. MacDonald came to UNMC in 1988 expecting to focus on his research on the insulin-like growth factor II receptor, but soon after he expanded into teaching enzyme biochemistry to medical students and protein biochemistry to graduate students.

In 1990, he started serving on the College of Medicine Admissions Committee, which he continued until 2022.

Over the years, he received the UNMC Outstanding Teacher Award three times, the Hirschmann Prize (or M4 Golden Apple) three times and the university-wide Outstanding Teaching and Instructional Creativity Award in 2012, along with five other teaching awards. In 2016, he was inducted into the UNMC Interprofessional Academy of Educators.

Dr. MacDonald said his most cherished career highlights are focused on the accomplishments of his students.

“I closed my laboratory in 2020,” he said, “and I already miss working with my graduate students in research and the satisfaction one gets from seeing your student give a great research talk, publish a paper in a fine journal or earn the PhD.”

Bradley Britigan, MD, dean of the UNMC College of Medicine, said Dr. MacDonald has impacted the training of hundreds of physicians who practice across Nebraska by contributing extensively to the processes that selected them for the college and defining the curriculum under which they learned.

Said Dr. Britigan, “On behalf of our many graduates, I cannot thank him enough for his energy, vision and compassion. We all wish him the best as he transitions to new adventures.”

Surinder Batra, PhD, the Hartmann Chair of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, congratulated Dr. MacDonald on his retirement, calling him one of the most sincere, loyal and supportive faculty members in the department.

“His achievements have influenced the overall intellectual and academic growth of UNMC through his leadership in mentoring junior faculty in their teaching and research mission, medical and graduate education and developing training programs,” Dr. Batra said. “He has shown extraordinary energy, creativity, professionalism, innovation and organizational skills in a multidisciplinary teaching environment.”

In retirement, Dr. MacDonald said he looks forward to spending more time with family, especially with his grandchildren, gardening, traveling and playing golf with friends and family.