Richard B. Marchase, Ph.D., has been named acting vice president of research at UAB, effective Aug. 1. Posted on July 22, 2004 at 4:04 p.m. BIRMINGHAM, AL — Richard B. Marchase, Ph.D., has been named acting vice president of research at UAB, effective Aug. 1. Marchase currently is senior associate dean for biomedical research at the School of Medicine, a role that he will continue to fill. In his new position, he will assume administrative oversight for research activities across the UAB campus. Marchase succeeds Sadis Matalon, Ph.D., who announced his resignation from that position in May to devote more time to his research. “We are very grateful to Dr. Matalon for his dedicated service and the many improvements he has initiated in this area, but understand his desire to refocus on his own research activities,” said UAB president Dr. Carol Z. Garrison. “We’re fortunate that Dr. Marchase is willing to take on this additional responsibility. I’m certain he’ll do an outstanding job at ensuring that our research infrastructure needs are met, and — collaboratively with the provost and the dean and vice president for medicine — planning for the future research directions and needs of the institution.” Marchase joined UAB in 1986 as an associate professor of cell biology and anatomy. He was named professor of cell biology in 1990. Later that year, he became chair of that department, a position he held until 2000 when he was named associate dean. Marchase is the principal investigator on several awards for research infrastructure from the National Institutes of Health, including $15.9 million for the construction of a biosafety facility. The NIH also supports his laboratory, which studies the effects of hyperglycemia on resuscitation and tissue viability. He is currently on the Editorial Board of SHOCK and has had similar appointments with the American Journal of Physiology: Cell and The Anatomical Record. He is a past-president of the Association of Anatomy, Cell Biology, and Neurobiology Chairpersons and serves on the steering committee of the Group on Research Advancement and Development for the Association of American Medical Colleges. He is a member of the Board and Vice-President Elect of the Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology, a coalition of 22 societies representing 65,000 members. Marchase received his bachelor's degree in engineering physics from Cornell University and was the recipient of the Hamilton Award as the outstanding graduate in science and engineering. He received his doctorate with distinction in biophysics from Johns Hopkins University. He completed his postdoctoral training and then was named an assistant professor at Duke University. He was an initial recipient of the Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation.