Dr. Markin named chief technology officer

After serving as interim dean of the UNMC College of Medicine for the past year, Rod Markin, M.D., Ph.D., has been named to the newly created position of associate vice chancellor for business development and chief technology officer.

Rod Markin, M.D., Ph.D.

The appointment is effective July 1, said Don Leuenberger, vice chancellor for business and finance and the person Dr. Markin will report to in his new role.

“Rod is a perfect fit for the position, as he has always had a passion for technology along with a strong entrepreneurial spirit,” Leuenberger said. “A growing number of universities have created the position of chief technology officer, so this allows us to fill a gap that has existed at UNMC.

“I have no doubt that Rod will maximize his talents to create a technology vision for the campus that will make us more efficient and produce significant cost savings.”

Dr. Markin File Education: M.D., UNMC, 1983 Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1980 Joined UNMC: 1986 Previous postitions: David T. Purtilo Distinguished Professor of Pathology Senior associate dean for clinical affairs in the College of Medicine; President of UNMC Physicians, 1997-2010. Other notes: One of UNMC’s most prolific inventors, Dr. Markin received the Lifetime Achievement Award from UNeMed Corporation in 2009 for his innovative work in transforming the clinical laboratory through technology.

Among his duties, Dr. Markin will work closely with departments to plan major equipment purchases and make sure that utilization justifies the cost. In the spirit of UNMC’s existing core laboratories, he will look for opportunities for departments to better coordinate their use of equipment. He also will look for potential new uses for information systems and telemedicine and will be involved in the rollout of the new electronic health record system at the medical center.

UNMC Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., praised Dr. Markin for doing a stellar job as interim dean.

“I relied on him a great deal to manage the college, and he did an exceptional job in a short period of time,” Dr. Maurer said. “He dealt with a myriad of issues very effectively. He managed the finances of the college with a great deal of expertise. He championed the faculty and students. He is very well liked and supported. He is a trusted leader.”