Chair Department of Medicinal Chemistry

Details
The Department of Medicinal Chemistry is seeking its next Chair. Building on the departments legacy of excellence and innovation the new Department Chair will have the opportunity to continue to move the department forward with an ambitious vision for growth and impact. The successful candidate will have the resources to maintain a worldclass research program and develop additional innovative research programs in the department through recruitment and internal investment. The new Chair will be expected to provide strategic leadership and direction for all aspects of the department. The Chair will have responsibility for the coordination and administration of the overall academic agenda and education activities in the department and college. The department is interested in advancing research and discovery in areas that include but are not limited to: drug discovery design and development; fundamental scientific research in bioorganic chemistry and chemical biology; design and development of computational digital chemical and synthetic biological tools applied to problems in human health and disease; and innovative applications of chemistry at interfaces with infectious diseases immunology cancer metabolism genetic diseases or neuroscience. A highly collaborative Health Sciences Center facilitates these interdisciplinary activities. Responsibilities: Key responsibilities of the Chair include: Setting a vision and executing the strategic direction for the department; Managing the departmental budget in furtherance of the departments direction; Recruiting outstanding faculty and building new research programs; Providing inspirational mentorship of department faculty fellows students and staff; Maintaining and supporting an active and productive research program; Participating in and providing leadership for the department in the areas of research teaching and service; Providing leadership within the college as a member of the Executive Committee; Engaging with faculty across the health sciences to enhance interdisciplinary research and teaching. Qualifications: A PhD or other advanced degree in Medicinal Chemistry or related field of study; Demonstrated scholarly and/or professional achievement with distinction sufficient to merit appointment at the rank of professor is desired; Demonstrated ability to serve as a leader and build collaborative teams within and across departments; International reputation for research accomplishments; Commitment to teaching excellence in subjects relevant to both graduate (PhD) and professional (PharmD) programs in the College of Pharmacy; Because the Department Chair will have the opportunity to recruit new faculty and expand the research scope of the department a compelling vision for the future of the department is essential; Excellent managerial and communication skills. About the Department of Medicinal Chemistry: The Department of Medicinal Chemistry in the College of Pharmacy is located in the Health Sciences Center which allows for excellent opportunities for collaboration and synergy within the College of Pharmacy and also within the School of Medicine where there are specific strengths in cardiovascular disease cancer genetics immunology/ inflammation/infectious disease metabolism neurology and neuroscience. Research in the Department is strongly supported by excellent chemical and biochemical infrastructure a crossdisciplinary Biological Chemistry graduate program a T32 training grant in Chemical Biology and many other University programs and training grants. Substantial opportunities are available to create interdisciplinary initiatives through the Therapeutics Accelerator the Huntsman Cancer Institute (an NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Center) and other resources. The faculty are also strongly committed to a teaching mission that encompasses PharmD and PhD students. Current faculty research areas include: Synthesis and testing of novel for areas such as cancer and infectious diseases. Biomolecular structure dynamics and interactions using computational chemistry and structural biology. Chemical biology synthetic biology and drug discovery of natural products. Digital therapeutics and drugdigital combination therapies. Design and application of synthetic libraries and probes to biology and drug discovery. Chemical biology of posttranslational modifications on histones. Chemical biology of carbohydrates such as heparan chondroitin dermatan and keratan sulfates. Chemical tools for studying and therapeutically targeting phosphorylationdependent cellular signaling pathways. Medicinal chemistry and chemical biology targeted toward enzymes involved in immunology neurological development cancer gene regulation etc. New tools for studying the biosynthesis recognition and functions of chemical modifications on RNA . Chemical and biological sensor development. Nucleic acidtargeting . About the College of Pharmacy: The University of Utah College of Pharmacy is located in the stateoftheart L.S. Skaggs Research Institute and is part of University of Utah Health (UHealth) an umbrella health sciences center encompassing a wide scope of clinical and research enterprises. UHealth has been ranked in the Top 10 nationally for quality for the past thirteen years demonstrating superior performance based on safety timeliness effectiveness efficiency equity and patientcenteredness. Through the University of Utah Therapeutics Accelerator Hub (U2TAH) the College and the Huntsman Cancer Institute have invested in commercialization of faculty discoveries to bring innovative therapies to patients. Strong philanthropic support has propelled the College of Pharmacy into the top ranks of pharmacy schools nationally and it is consistently ranked among the top programs nationally in terms of National Institutes of Health NIH research productivity. The College is a national leader in applying science to personalized medicine to improve health care delivery through optimized medication outcomes. The College has four departments: Medicinal Chemistry Pharmacology and Toxicology Pharmacotherapy and Molecular Pharmaceutics. To learn more: About the University of Utah: The University of Utah (the U) is the states flagship institution of higher education with 18 schools and colleges more than 100 undergraduate and 90 graduate degree programs and an enrollment of more than 32000 students. In 2019 the University joined the Association of American Universities an invitationonly prestigious group of 65 leading research institutions marked by excellence in academic expertise and research impact student success and securing resources in support of core missions which are focused on serving the increasingly diverse student population at the U. In Fall 2022 domestic students of color accounted for more than 30 of the undergraduate populationup from 18 in 2009. The U is located in Salt Lake City one of the most dynamic and fastestgrowingeconomically and culturallymetropolises in the U.S. The city is uniquely situated to offer both unmatched outdoor and exciting urban experiences with mountain vistas only a few steps away and vast redrock desert landscapes within reach of a scenic afternoon drive. Additionally the Utah Asia Campus was established in 2014 and is located in Songdo International Business District in South Korea. Students attending the Utah Asia Campus find the same worldclass U.S. academic experience offered at the campus in Salt Lake City. At the U youll find worldclass research education and clinical care complemented by a lively social cultural and athletic campus experience. An unparalleled spirit of entrepreneurship collaboration and community service has enabled the U to innovate across fields pioneer new programs with social impact generate pathbreaking discoveries fuel critical research and inspire innovative approaches to education. President Taylor R. Randall became the 17th President of the University of Utah in August 2021 following a prior tenure as the dean of the Universitys David Eccles School of Business. Under his leadership the Eccles School gained a national reputation as a place of innovation garnering top 10 entrepreneurship rankings for both undergraduate and graduate programs. During his time as dean the value of an Eccles School education increased dramatically. He established the First Ascent Scholars Program which cultivates encourages and enables academically focused students with significant financial needs to attend the Eccles School. President Randall recently released his strategic vision for the University of Utah calling for increased enrollment to 40000 students and an increase in research funding to $1 billion by 2025. This plan emphasizes the collaboration between the main and health campuses at the University of Utah which is referred to as One U. Working together across campus will allow the U to meet the vision described by President Randall to accelerate the Universitys rise as it focuses on four overarching goals: student success knowledge transfer community engagement and institutional vitality. President Taylor led the Universitys recently completed Imagine New Heights campaign to recordbreaking results securing $3 billion in charitable gift commitments. The U strives to be a model public university in delivering unmatched value in higher education and health care while making social economic and cultural contributions that improve the quality of life throughout the state the nation and the world. The Us reputation for excellence draws toptier faculty and attracts motivated students nationally and internationally. Students bring diverse experiences and outlooks representing traditional and nontraditional students alike thereby enhancing the exceptional educational experience the U offers. Learn more at . To Apply: Applicants should provide their curriculum vitae and a cover letter that describes both your motivation for application and how your leadership experience aligns with the key qualifications of the role. Applications must be submitted online. Use the following link to apply: Inquiries may be directed to the Chair Search Committee: Scott Summers PhD Distinguished Professor at . The University of Utah Health (U of U Health) is a patient focused center distinguished by collaboration excellence leadership and respect. The U of U Health values candidates who are committed to fostering and furthering the culture of compassion collaboration innovation accountability diversity integrity quality and trust that is integral to our mission.