Dr. O’Malley named Chancellor of Baylor College of Medicine
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The Board of Trustees of Baylor College of Medicine today named Dr. Bert O’Malley, longtime chair of the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, as chancellor of the College, effective July 1.
O’Malley will step down as chair of the department to assume the responsibilities of chancellor, but will continue directing his research lab. He has served as chair of the department for 45 years.
During his time as chair, the department has been routinely listed in the top five in the nation in securing National Institutes of Health funding; more than five times as No.1. It is currently ranked fourth in the country in cell biology.
Considered the “founding father” of the field of molecular endocrinology, O’Malley is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine. He won the National Medal of Science in 2007, accepting it in a ceremony at the White House in 2008. He has received more than 65 honors and science prizes in his career.
“Bert O’Malley is not only a renowned scientist and mentor, but also a valued advisor,” said Dr. Paul Klotman, president, CEO and executive dean of Baylor. “He has been a leader at Baylor for more than four decades and possesses the same unwavering commitment to the College as did the other chancellors in Baylor’s history.”
O’Malley is the fourth chancellor of the College. Preceding him in that role were Dr. Michael DeBakey, Dr. William Butler and Dr. Bobby R. Alford.
He has trained more than 250 scientists and published over 650 papers. He holds 24 patents in the fields of gene regulation, molecular endocrinology, steroid receptor and coactivator action, and cell proteomics and metabolism.
As chancellor, O’Malley will advise the president and the provost, participate in strategic planning activities and act as an ambassador for the College. In addition, he will attend Academic Council and Board of Trustees meetings and continue as a mentor to faculty and students, among other responsibilities.
Dr. O’Malley has received seven honorary degrees, from New York Medical College; Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden; National University of Ireland; University of Maryland; University of Pennsylvania; University of Pittsburgh and University of Athens, Greece.
A native of Pittsburgh, he received a bachelor’s degree of science from the University of Pittsburgh and a medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine. He completed an internship and residency training at Duke University School of Medicine.
He worked as a clinical associate and then head of the Molecular Biology Section of the Endocrine Branch of the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health during his early career. He served as a professor of the Reproductive Biology Center at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine before joining the Baylor faculty in 1973.
A national search will be conducted to find a new chair of molecular and cellular biology. Dr. Adam Kuspa, senior vice president and dean of research, will chair the committee. Dr. Jeff Rosen, professor of molecular and cellular biology, will serve as the interim chair.
