Newly Created Vice Chancellor for Research Position
to Oversee UNMC’s Research Enterprise
With the ever-increasing prominence of research in the University of
Nebraska Medical Center’s vision and strategic priorities, Chancellor Harold
M. Maurer, M.D., has created the new position of vice chancellor for research
at UNMC.
Dr. Maurer has formed a search committee to be headed by William Berndt,
Ph.D., vice chancellor for academic affairs, and a national search will
be conducted. While the search is being conducted, Thomas Rosenquist, Ph.D.,
who currently serves as director of UNMC research development and chairman
and professor of the Cell Biology and Anatomy Department, will serve as
interim vice chancellor for research.
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will be asked to approve
Dr. Rosenquist’s interim appointment at the July 28 meeting.
“Our research funding has been growing significantly,” Dr. Maurer said.
“Because of this, I felt it warranted creating this position. With one
person held accountable for leading our research initiatives, we can move
our research enterprise to an even higher level.
“This is truly an exciting time for UNMC. With completion of the Research
Center of Excellence in 2003 coupled with the significant Tobacco Settlement
funding UNMC will be receiving from the State of Nebraska for biomedical
research, the opportunities have never been greater. We are at a point
in our history where UNMC’s research enterprise merits a major leadership
position that is highly visible and accountable.”
Under Dr. Maurer’s leadership, the campus has set a goal to double the
amount of research funding at UNMC in five years and triple it in 10 years.
Over the last two years, UNMC’s research funding from external sources
has increased by 41 percent going from $30.9 million annually to $43.6
million. In that same time period, federal funding increased by 33 percent
going from $19.6 million annually to $26 million.
The vice chancellor for research will become the third vice chancellor
post at UNMC. The other vice chancellors are Dr. Berndt and Don Leuenberger,
vice chancellor for business and finance.
The vice chancellor for research will oversee several major components
of UNMC’s research enterprise, including direction of the UNMC Tobacco
Settlement Biomedical Research Development program, the Nebraska Research
Initiative, the UNMC Research Council, the UNMC Research Board, and the
Comparative Medicine program. The vice chancellor for research also will
oversee Sponsored Programs Administration, which provides support for the
grant application process, and will have joint oversight of the Office
of Regulatory Affairs.
Dr. Berndt, vice chancellor for academic affairs, will now be able to
direct more attention to the educational component, Dr. Maurer said. A
UNMC task force report on future educational initiatives for the campus
is expected this fall.
“We want to shape our vision for education that keeps us on the cutting
edge of health profession education in the future,” Dr. Maurer said. “We
expect Dr. Berndt to lead that effort.”
Dr. Berndt will head UNMC’s educational endeavors, including the Division
of Student Services, the McGoogan Library of Medicine, and affirmative
action issues related to faculty hiring. In addition, he will continue
to serve as dean of Graduate Studies and will have joint responsibility
for the Office of Regulatory Affairs.
Dr. Rosenquist joined UNMC in 1992 as chairman and professor of the
Cell Biology and Anatomy Department. In 1999, he was appointed director
of research development and was named to the von Housen Professorship.
Dr. Rosenquist’s research investigates the causes of congenital heart defects.
Currently, he holds two research grants from the National Institutes of
Health with a total value of more than $2.7 million. He will continue to
chair the Cell Biology and Anatomy Department while he serves as interim
vice chancellor for research.