Dr. Band named genetics, cell biology and anatomy chairwoman

Vimla Band, Ph.D., has been named chairwoman of the UNMC Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy.

The appointment, which was effective March 1, was announced today by John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the College of Medicine.

Vimla Band, Ph.D.

“Vimla is one of our star performers,” Dr. Gollan said. “She has all the tools and knows how to get things done. I know she will take the department to new heights.”

Dr. Band — who served as interim chairwoman for six months before being named to the post full time — expressed her appreciation for Dr. Gollan’s vote of confidence.

“I am deeply honored and humbled,” she said. “It is a great responsibility and a wonderful opportunity for me to do things beyond my own investigative career.”

Dr. Band joined UNMC in 2007 as professor in genetics, cell biology and anatomy and as vice chairwoman for research. She was named a UNMC Distinguished Scientist in 2008.

Heading forward, she wants the department to:

• Develop novel ways of educating medical and graduate students;
  
• Continue mentorship of young investigators;
  
• Recruit outstanding graduate students;
  
• Increase the size and stature of research faculty;
  
• Increase UNMC’s expertise in the areas of genomics/bioinformatics and cell biology; and
  
• Increase extramural research funding by creating synergy between the department’s faculty members and others on campus.

Dr. Band’s research focus is on the molecular mechanism of early oncogenic transformation of mammary epithelial cells with the goal of defining markers for early diagnosis and better prognosis of breast cancer.

She and her husband, Hamid Band, M.D., Ph.D., were recruited to UNMC from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.

Dr. Hamid Band is a professor in the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and associate director for translational research at the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center.