Paul J. Anderson, MD, PhD, has been named chief academic officer and senior vice president of Research for Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), effective immediately. This is new position, created earlier this year to bring a senior leadership focus to the core values of research and education. Anderson, a senior physician in the Division of Rheumatology, Immunology and Allergy and the K. Frank Austen professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, has been serving in this role on an interim basis since June.

"While the challenge before us is great, the breadth of science, enthusiasm for collaborations in teaching and research, and investment in discovery at BWH is exceptional," said Betsy Nabel, MD, president of BWH. "Dr. Anderson brings a depth and breadth of experience, and remarkable devotion to BWH, that will enable us to thrive in these areas."

Under Anderson's leadership, BWH will focus on the development and implementation of an innovative, creative and state-of-the art research and education strategic plan; proactive and collaborative relationships within BWH and across Partners HealthCare, as well with as industry leaders; and fostering relationships with both private and public research funding entities.

"I am thrilled to accept this position," said Anderson. "I look forward to bringing my passion for research and training, both to our community here at the Brigham and to those outside of our organization, with a focus on the role that BWH plays in bringing the science of medicine to patient care," Anderson said.

Anderson will oversee the activities of the Brigham Research Institute and will serve as executive leader as the hospital develops the Brigham Education Institute, an organization that will facilitate and coordinate best practices in undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate medical education.

Anderson received his BS from SUNY Stony Brook and his MD and PhD degrees from New York University School of Medicine. He then came to BWH for his internship and residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Rheumatology. In 1990, he started his own research laboratory at BWH focusing on the role that post-transcriptional control of gene expression plays in the regulation of inflammatory and stress response programs. He has authored or co-authored more than 180 publications and is on the editorial boards of a number of journals, including Cellular Immunology, The FASEB Journal and Modern Rheumatology. In addition to participating in on the Rheumatology Fellowship Program committee, Anderson is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians, and serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee at the American College of Rheumatology. As a senior physician, he sees patients in the Brigham Arthritis Center ambulatory clinic and attends on the Rheumatology Consult Service.

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