Dr. Vimla Band named interim GCBA chairwoman

Vimla Band, Ph.D.

Vimla Band, Ph.D., has been named interim chairwoman of the UNMC Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Anatomy.

The appointment, which is effective Sept. 1, was announced today by John Gollan, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the College of Medicine.

Dr. Band replaces James Shull, Ph.D., who was recently named chairman of the Department of Oncology/McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Dr. Band’s file Education: Ph.D. in reproductive biology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi Postdoc: Cancer cell biology and genetics, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston Funding history: Received more than 10 investigator-initiated RO1 grants from the National Institutes of Health and several grants from the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program; and Currently is principal investigator or co-principal investigator on four NIH RO1 and two DOD grants. Previous positions: Assistant professor, radiation oncology and biochemistry, New England Medical Center, Tufts University Medical School, Boston Professor and director, division of radiation and cancer biology, New England Medical Center, Tufts University Medical School, Boston Professor of medicine, division director, cancer biology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Duckworth Family Chair in Breast Cancer Research, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Research Institute Professional organizations: American Association for Cancer Research; Society for Women in Cancer; American Society for Microbiology; and American Association of Indian Scientists in Cancer Research.

“Vimla has only been at UNMC for less than two years, but it was readily apparent from the outset that she was going to be an outstanding addition to our team,” Dr. Gollan said. “I’m delighted that she has accepted my request for her to become interim chairwoman.

“I have total confidence that the department will continue to progress under Vimla’s leadership.”

Dr. Band expressed her appreciation for Dr. Gollan’s vote of confidence.

“I am honored that Dr. Gollan has asked me to take on this new challenge,” she said. “Working at UNMC under Dr. Shull has been a wonderful experience, and I know that I have some big shoes to fill. I look forward to the opportunity.”

Dr. Band joined UNMC in 2007 as professor in genetics, cell biology and anatomy and as vice chairwoman for research. She also serves as associate director of the Center for Breast Cancer Research for the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center.

Dr. Band’s research focus is on the molecular mechanism of early oncogenic transformation of mammary epithelial cells with the goal of defining markers for early diagnosis and better prognosis of breast cancer

She and her husband, Hamid Band, M.D., Ph.D., were recruited to UNMC from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. They brought with them $8 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and 14 research team members. Dr. Hamid Band is a professor in the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and associate director for translational research at the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center.