Rebekah Gundry, PhD, named interim department chair

Rebekah Gundry, PhD, has been named interim chair of the UNMC Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology and the interim director of the Center for Heart and Vascular Research.

Matthew Zimmerman, PhD, has been named interim vice chair of the department.

UNMC College of Medicine Dean Bradley Britigan announced the appointments Monday. Merry Lindsey, PhD, most recent chair of the department and director of the center, departed UNMC for a leadership position at another institution.

"Dr. Gundry is an exceptional researcher, teacher and leader," Dr. Britigan said. "I am confident in Dr. Gundry’s ability to lead the department as we enter this period of transition to new leadership for the department and center."

Dr. Gundry had served as the vice chair of the department, as well as a professor and assistant chief for basic and translational research in the UNMC Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and the director of the CardiOmics Program, an initiative within the Center for Heart and Vascular Research. An internationally recognized researcher, she was named a UNMC Distinguished Scientist in 2021 for her research work involving diseases of the heart. Dr. Gundry is an associate editor of the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, the official journal of the International Society for Heart Research, and has published more than 70 peer-reviewed publications.

Dr. Gundry also is one of only a few scientists nationwide, and the first at UNMC, to receive an NHLBI Emerging Investigator Award, which requires applicants to be principal investigator on two active R01-equivalent awards at the time of application.

She joined UNMC in 2019.

"I am excited to step into these leadership roles at UNMC." Dr. Gundry said. "The UNMC Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology has a long history of research and training excellence that I have been fortunate to join. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure a smooth transition in leadership.

"The recently established Center for Heart and Vascular Research is poised to become a nationally recognized hub for catalyzing cutting-edge cardiovascular research," she said. "I am eager to continue working with my basic science and clinical colleagues to ensure the center meets its charge."  

Dr. Zimmerman, a UNMC Distinguished Scientist in 2022, is an associate professor in the department. He also is director of the Free Radicals in Medicine Program, the EPR Spectroscopy Core and the Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine Doctoral Program. He also is the director of the recently approved master of science program in medical physiology at UNMC.

 "Dr. Zimmerman has an unwavering commitment to the missions of UNMC and has demonstrated outstanding leadership in education," Dr. Gundry said. "Dr. Zimmerman’s leadership will not only be critical to the faculty during this time, but he will also ensure the students are well supported as we move forward during this transition."

8 comments

  1. Dr. Sheritta Strong says:

    Congratulations, Dr. Gundry!

  2. Howard Gendelman says:

    Exciting opportunity at an exciting time with known leadership and vision. Hearty congratulations,

    Howie Gendelman

  3. Connor Willingham says:

    Congrats Dr. Gundry!

  4. john s davis says:

    Congratulations Rebekah and Matt! This is a wonderful opportunity for the department's research program and its training mission, John Davis.

  5. Jeffrey Jeppson says:

    From all the mass spectrometrists on campus, congrats

  6. Sarah Gloden Carlson says:

    Dr. Gundry, you will do an amazing job! UNMC is so fortunate to have your talent, vision and leadership!

  7. Mark Carlson says:

    Congratulations Dr. Gundry!

  8. Emily McElroy says:

    Congratulations!!!

Comments are closed.