Seasoned scientist will strive to take more research from lab bench to patient bedside
Howard Fox, M.D., Ph.D., has been named senior associate dean for research and development in the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Medicine.
The appointment, which was effective July 1, was announced today by Rod Markin, M.D., Ph.D., interim dean of the College of Medicine.
Dr. Fox assumes the position from Surinder Batra, Ph.D., who was appointed chairman of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology last September.
“Dr. Fox is one of our star researchers,” Dr. Markin said. “His experience and knowledge make him a perfect fit for this position. I have complete confidence that he will make things happen and strengthen our research enterprise. At the same time, I want to salute Dr. Batra for all his efforts. He did an excellent job as senior associate dean, but he now needs to focus on running his department.”
Dr. Fox joined UNMC in 2008 as professor and executive vice chairman of the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience. In 2009, he was named director for the Center for Integrative and Translational Neuroscience, which is focused on taking research from the bench to the bedside.
A native of Chicago, Dr. Fox earned a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He then went across the country to the University of California, San Francisco, where he earned his medical and doctorate degrees. At both universities, he was elected to the top honor societies – Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha, respectively.
“I moved here due to my excitement about the current research at UNMC and the opportunities for growth,” he said. “Interdisciplinary and translational work can be challenging but have great rewards. They represent the key focus areas of my efforts in this new role.”
He completed an anatomic pathology residency as well as a surgical pathology fellowship at UCSF before joining The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., in 1990. He worked at the institute for 18 years and earned tenure status in 2000.
A seasoned researcher, Dr. Fox’s research deals with disease pathogenesis. His primary focus has been with HIV/AIDS research. He is currently serving as principal investigator on four grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including a program project and a center grant. He has chaired NIH study sections and served in numerous other advisory roles for institutional, state and federal agencies.
Active in numerous community organizations, Dr. Fox is currently involved in the UNMC High School Alliance, a new project that will bring 36 high school students from 17 area high schools to UNMC this fall. The program will be an important vehicle to motivate students to pursue careers in health care.
As the state’s only academic health science center, UNMC is on the leading edge of health care. Breakthroughs are possible because hard-working researchers, educators and clinicians are resolved to work together to fuel discovery. UNMC’s extramural research support now exceeds $100 million, resulting in the creation of 3,600 jobs in Nebraska. UNMC’s academic excellence is shown through its award-winning programs, and its educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals practicing in Nebraska than any other institution. Through its commitment to education, research, patient care and outreach, UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, have established themselves as one of the country’s leading health care centers. UNMC’s physician practice group, UNMC Physicians, includes 550 physicians in 50 specialties and subspecialties who practice primarily in The Nebraska Medical Center. For more information, go to UNMC’s Web site at www.unmc.edu.