From the Dean

Dear School of Medicine Community,

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Brian L. Black, PhD as the new Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI), effective March 1, 2019.

Since joining UCSF in 1998, Dr. Black has led an internationally recognized basic research laboratory focused on developmental biology, with a primary emphasis on transcriptional control mechanisms. His research group has made several seminal contributions to the understanding of cardiovascular biology. Dr. Black has been part of CVRI leadership for the past 12 years and has served as Interim Director for the last 17 months.

Dr. Black earned his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Wake Forest University and conducted his postdoctoral training in Molecular Biology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Over the past decade, Dr. Black has served in leadership roles in the American Heart Association, the North American Vascular Biology Organization, and as a member the Weinstein Cardiovascular Development Steering Committee. He currently serves on the Editorial Board of the journal Development.

Dr. Black is a highly dedicated teacher and mentor at UCSF. He received the 2014 Haile T. Debas Excellence in Teaching Award for his efforts in medical student teaching. He has served as the CVRI mentoring program coordinator for the past 11 years and is the Principal Investigator of the CVRI’s postdoctoral training grant. Dr. Black is a member of the Biomedical Sciences and Developmental and Stem Cell Biology Graduate Program Executive Committees and currently serves on the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) Council.

As a first-generation college graduate, Dr. Black brings an understanding that the path to higher education and to success in science may not be straightforward and that individuals, particularly those from underrepresented groups, often face obstacles along the way to success in science and medicine. He is committed to promoting the careers of women and individuals from groups that are underrepresented in science and medicine (UIM) and increasing the pipeline of female and UIM scientists as a source of future faculty members.

I am confident that Dr. Black’s vision and leadership will help maintain and expand the excellence of the science at the CVRI, while working to preserve the collegial and cohesive spirit that has made the Institute such a great place to teach, learn, and conduct research.

I would like to thank the search committee, chaired by Dr. Jeff Olgin, for its work in considering an exceptional pool of candidates from across the country for this position.

Sincerely,
Talmadge E. King, Jr., MD
Dean, School of Medicine