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Fifth finalist announced for vice chancellor of research

Kenneth Cowan, MD, PhD, today announced the fifth finalist for the position of UNMC's vice chancellor of research as Laurie Cutting, PhD, of Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Cutting is scheduled to visit campus July 11-13 and participate in a candidate forum on July 12.

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Laurie Cutting, PhD

Dr. Cutting currently is the Patricia and Rodes Hart Professor of Special Education, Psychology and Human Development, Radiology and Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University; associate director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center; sits on the Vanderbilt University Research Council; and is a member of the Vanderbilt Brain Institute.

Dr. Cowan, chair of the VCR search committee, previously said the finalists for the VCR position comprise an outstanding group. He said the search committee was pleased to find considerable interest in this important research leadership position at UNMC and that UNMC’s research programs and infrastructure were well regarded on a national level.

During campus visits, the finalists have been meeting the campus community at a Zoom forum, introducing themselves and presenting their vision for UNMC and the VCR office before taking questions.

Dr. Cutting's forum will be from 12-1 p.m. on July 12. See more information and access the forum links and candidate feedback forms here.

The other finalists, in alphabetical order, are:

Kenneth Bayles, PhD: Dr. Bayles currently is associate vice chancellor for basic science research at UNMC, the associate vice chancellor for research and creative activity at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a professor in the UNMC Department of Pathology and Microbiology. Dr. Bayles met the UNMC community as a candidate this week.

Raphael Pollock, MD, PhD: Dr. Pollock currently serves as director of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, professor in Ohio State’s Division of Surgical Oncology and holder of the Klotz Chair in Cancer Research. He also serves as director of The Ohio State University Sarcoma Research Laboratory.  He made his campus visit this week.

Ze’ev Ronai, PhD: Dr. Ronai currently serves as director of the Sanford Burnam Prebys NCI-designated cancer center in La Jolla, California, as the Jeanne and Gary Herberger Leadership Chair in Cancer Research and as a professor in the center’s tumor initiation and maintenance program. He made his campus visit this week.

Yolanda Sanchez, PhD: Dr. Sanchez is associate director of basic sciences at the Dartmouth Cancer Center and associate professor of molecular and systems biology at Dartmouth College. At SYNERGY, Dartmouth’s clinical and translational science institute, Dr. Sanchez is co-director of education, training and career development and co-director of the translational pilot program. She made her campus visit last week.