Bishr Omary, M.D., Ph.D., has been named Michigan Medicine’s new chief scientific officer (CSO) and executive vice dean for research. He will begin in his new role May 1.
Since 2008, Omary has served as chair of the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, where he led the department to become the highest-ranked National Institutes of Health-funded physiology department in the U.S. Omary also helped the department grow its educational and training platforms and was instrumental in recruiting half of the department’s current faculty.
He is also the H. Marvin Pollard Professor of Gastroenterology in the Department of Internal Medicine.
In his new role as CSO, Omary will work closely with key stakeholders to develop and implement a robust strategy to foster excellence in biomedical research and clinical translation to improve disease prevention and treatment, in addition to promoting fundamental basic science research.
He will facilitate the formation of new strategic partnerships across the Medical School and main university campus and support and advocate for existing partnerships. He will also serve as a key member of the Michigan Medicine leadership team and assist with recruiting and retention efforts, faculty workforce planning, and facility and capital planning for the research enterprise.
Prior to joining U-M, Omary spent 19 years at Stanford University, where he served in several capacities, including as the chief of the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, director of its NIH-supported digestive disease center and director of its NIH-supported training grant.