Roderick Nairn, PhD, was appointed executive vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, effective July 1, 2021. Prior to that, Dr. Nairn was provost and executive vice chancellor for academic and student affairs from 2015 to 2021, and provost and vice chancellor for academic and student affairs from 2008 to 2015, for the consolidated University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus. From April 2007 to June 2008, he was vice chancellor for university initiatives for CU Denver | Anschutz. He is also a professor of biology in the CU College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and a professor of immunology in the CU School of Medicine.

Dr. Nairn obtained his PhD in biochemistry from the University of London and the Medical Research Council, National Institute for Medical Research in London, England. After postdoctoral training in immunology/immunogenetics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, New York, Dr. Nairn joined the faculty of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. While at the University of Michigan, Dr. Nairn established a research program in basic cell and molecular immunology, developed a continuing interest in medical and graduate education, and was director of the Medical Scientist (MD/PhD) Training Program.

Dr. Nairn was professor and chair of the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at Creighton University School of Medicine from 1995 through 2003, served as interim dean in the School of Medicine from 1997 to 1998, and then became senior associate dean for academic affairs from 1998 to 2003, with responsibility for oversight of research, faculty affairs and development, medical education, student affairs and admissions, graduate medical education and continuing medical education.

Dr. Nairn was executive vice president for academic affairs and Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and professor of microbiology and immunology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center from January 2004 to March 2007, where he was responsible for oversight of the academic and research missions, all university institutes, institutional planning and effectiveness, institutional compliance, the health sciences center libraries, and student support services and operations.

He has published widely in several basic science areas, been a reviewer for various scientific journals and funding agencies, and co-authored a textbook for medical students.

As executive vice chancellor for academic and student affairs, he has responsibility for faculty, academic and student affairs across the CU Anschutz Medical Campus.