Dear UNTHSC Community,
I am pleased to announce that the Division of Research and Innovation (DRI) has been reorganized as part of our journey to become One University based on extraordinary teamwork, a sustainable people culture and a secure financial future.
RESEARCH UNITS
Under the new structure, research activity in three key areas of strength now report to the Vice President of Research: Aging, Eye, and Genomics.
In addition, two UNTHSC research centers report to the Vice President: the Center for Human Identification led by Dr. Bruce Budowle and the Texas Center for Health Disparities led by Dr. J. K. Vishawanatha.
We are excited that Dr. Meharvan Singh, formerly Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, has accepted the Interim Executive Director’s position for the Institute of Healthy Aging. The North Texas Eye Research Institute continues under the leadership of Dr. Abe Clark.
RESEARCH SUPPORT UNITS
Two main research support units report directly to the Vice President: Department of Research Administration and the Department of Research Development & Commercialization.
The Research Administration unit is led by Dr. Brian Gladue and is comprised of two offices: Research Compliance and Sponsored Programs (formerly Grants and Contract Management).
The Research Development & Commercialization unit is led by Dr. Robert McClain and is comprised of four teams: Technology Commercialization, Research Development, Innovation Ecosystems, and Research Cores (including the Department of Lab Animal Medicine).
In addition, DRI is launching two novel initiatives for supporting research on our campus and in our community. One is the North Texas Regional Institutional Review Board, a unique partnership with John Peter Smith Health Systems and UNTHSC to serve North Texas. Dr. Gladue serves as Executive Director.
Second is the formation of a program for training department research administrators and college research officers (DRA/CRO). This new initiative, DRA/CRO, is forming to ensure administrative infrastructure support for research growth. The DRA/CRO program will be led by LeAnn Forsberg. With Forsberg accepting this role, Andrea Anderson will lead the Office of Sponsored Programs.
The reorganized DRI will help UNTHSC make Values-based progress in fulfilling the SEE_2020 goal of $55 million in research expenditures by the year 2020. In pursuit of that goal, DRI has identified two key priorities, with objectives as follows:
1. Proactive research risk management
a. Create a culture of compliance and accountability
b. Improve training, knowledge and communication
c. Solidify institutional support and infrastructure
2. Strategic research enterprise for One University
a. Expand research development programs
b. Foster collaborative research
c. Facilitate research commercialization
d. Promote translational research
With these structural and leadership changes in place, DRI looks forward to working with the research enterprise at UNTHSC in pursuit of these priorities.
Thank you all for your support as we work to make UNTHSC a leader in patient-centered, innovative, translational research.
With best regards,
Anuja Ghorpade, PhD
Vice President for Research