New Executive Vice President for Research Named
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: 12/20/2007
CONTACT: Suzanna Cisneros Martinez ( suzanna.martinez@ttuhsc.edu )
PHONE: (806) 743-2143
LUBBOCK - Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center President John Baldwin, M.D., announced Douglas M. Stocco, Ph.D., has been named the new executive vice president for research.
Stocco joined the Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry at TTUHSC in 1974. He has received several honors such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Career Development Award in 1985 and the NIH MERIT Award in 1996. His career has been continuousy funded by the NIH since 1984. Stocco’s research achievements include the identification and characterization of a novel protein, named the Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory or StAR protein, the existence of which had been predicted for 40 years.
He has received many top awards presented by the Texas Tech System such as the Grover E. Murray Distinguished Professor in 1997, the highest distinction a faculty member can attain. Stocco was awarded a University Medical Center Endowed Chair and also was named the Robert A. Welch Endowed Chair in Biochemistry in 1998. In 2003, he was honored with the distinction of University Distinguished Professor and in 2005 was elected as an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow.
Baldwin said this is an extremely important leadership position.
Dr. Stocco is truly a national expert who has made such important contributions in research. The NIH uses Dr. Stocco’s expertise to evaluate research grants,” Baldwin said. “He is respected internationally as well as here in the United States.”
Stocco will be responsible for all matters relating to research at the university, including recruitment, space allocation renovation, policies and regulatory compliance and other matters pertaining to a strong, nationally-recognized research program. He also will be the direct administrator of the annual earnings from tobacco fund endowments and substantial other funds.
“It is an honor and a great challenge for me to be selected to fill this position at the TTUHSC. We are at a critical time in our history as Dr. Baldwin has made the very important decision that TTUHSC will improve its national standing in the area of new scientific discovery,” Stocco said. “It is my intention to expedite this process as much as possible by both aiding the existing faculty in achieving these goals as well as in actively taking part in the hiring of new faculty that will significantly enhance our research profile.”
Stocco will no longer serve as vice dean at the Lubbock School of Medicine or interim dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and announcements about these positions will be forthcoming.