Dr. Mirnics appointed dean of Munroe-Meyer Institute

Karoly Mirnics, MD, PhD, soon will be dean as well as director of the UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute.

The title change, effective March 1, was approved by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents at its Feb. 7 meeting.

The change was made, Dr. Mirnics said, to convey value and respect for MMI and UNMC’s commitment to caring for individuals with developmental disabilities, as well as the scope of the institute’s activities.

The title change reflects MMI’s:

• Size as a UNMC academic unit, with more than 550 employees
• Extensive patient care services, with more than 120,000 clinical visits annually.
• PhD program, master’s program, fellowships and internships.
• Large research and grant portfolio.

“I am very honored and humbled to receive this new title,” Dr. Mirnics said. “Yet, I do not look at it as my personal achievement. Rather, I consider it a critical recognition for the amazing work that MMI faculty, staff and trainees do every day. This also reinforces the importance of all our endeavors in the service of individuals and families with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the value of our services to the community and state.”

H. Dele Davies, MD, interim chancellor of UNMC, congratulated Dr. Mirnics on the appointment.

“We made this change in recognition of the fact that while MMI is an institute specifically focused on children and adults with development disabilities, it also plays a similar role to our colleges in meeting our education, research, clinical and outreach missions,” Dr. Davies said. “The institute hires its own faculty, has nationally recognized graduate training and fellowship programs in applied behavioral analysis and neurodevelopmental and related disorders, and conducts world class research. Furthermore, the reach of MMI programs and clinical services is felt throughout the 500-mile diameter of our state. 

Dr. Davies added, “I am pleased to appoint Dean Mirnics as the inaugural dean in this role. In addition to his world-class scientific credentials and strong leadership, Dr. Mirnics cares deeply about the people and families he serves. That care is mirrored throughout the Munroe-Meyer Institute by the providers, students, staff and faculty who make up Dr. Mirnics’ team. It is a driving factor behind MMI’s growth and success under Dr. Mirnics’ leadership, and this new title is also an affirmation of his leadership, and that of his team since he arrived at MMI almost a decade ago.”