Interim Vice Chancellor of Research named, 1-9-2018

Dear colleagues,

We are happy to report the appointment of Robert Eckel, MD, as interim vice chancellor of research, effective with the start of the new year. Dr. Eckel has graciously agreed to serve in this capacity, filling the void left by the death of Dick Traystman, until a permanent vice chancellor is named. We are fortunate to have someone with such an impressive breadth and depth of research experience take the helm of the research efforts for both campuses.

A distinguished alumnus of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Dr. Eckel has spent nearly 40 years at the University of Colorado as a physician and researcher studying lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, with the twin goals of reducing obesity and preventing heart disease. His recent basic research relates to the role of lipids and lipoproteins in neurodegenerative diseases. He is currently a professor of medicine (Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes; Division of Cardiology), professor of physiology and biophysics and the Charles A. Boettcher II Chair in Atherosclerosis at the CU Anschutz; he also directs the Lipid Clinic at University of Colorado Hospital.

Until July 2014, Dr. Eckel was the program director of the Clinical Translational Research Center Network of the Colorado Clinical Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI), and for 27 years he served as associate and then program director of the CU Adult General Clinical Research Center. He is a past president of the American Heart Association (only the second endocrinologist to serve in this role), among numerous other national organizations.

Dr. Eckel has spent his career performing clinical and basic science research. His research has been prolific, appearing in more than 300 peer-reviewed publications and books. He has received numerous awards for his work and mentored over 50 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, many of whom are in full-time academic positions today. Read a 2015 profile of Dr. Eckel here.

A search process for the permanent selection for this role will be announced shortly. In the meantime, please join us in enthusiastically welcoming Dr. Eckel to his new role.