Chancellor

The Board of Trustees and the President of the University of Massachusetts seek an exceptional leader to serve as the Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMass Chan). The Commonwealth’s only public medical school, UMass Chan prepares physicians, scientists, and nurse leaders to heal, discover, teach, and care with compassion. UMass Chan is also an innovative research institution, consistently producing noteworthy advances in clinical and basic science research. 

The Chancellor serves as the Chief Executive Officer of a vibrant health sciences center, built in the accomplished Massachusetts biological sciences ecosystem, that has achieved eminence in a remarkably short period of time. As a research institution, UMass Chan has achieved a world-class reputation. The University has grown significantly in recent years, generating $2.2 billion in economic impact, conducting $350 million in research and development in FY24, with 66% of those funds coming from federal sources, and receiving $30 million in licensing revenue. UMass Chan is home to two Nobel laureates: Craig C. Mello, PhD (2006), and Victor R. Ambros, PhD (2024), whose discoveries have positioned UMass Chan at the forefront of RNA biology and therapeutics and led to the establishment of the RNA Therapeutics Institute. UMass Chan has also invested in and grown substantial research programs in neuroscience, cancer, diabetes, HIV, infectious disease, the molecular basis of disease, and last but not least, gene therapy. UMass Chan faculty filed for 99 patents in 2024 and have 570 active clinical trials, advancing research from bench to bedside. The tremendous success of the medical school led to the receipt of a $175 million gift from The Morningside Foundation in 2021, and the campus was then renamed UMass Chan Medical School. With the right strategies and investments, the Chancellor will be able to maximize UMass Chan’s already superb trajectory.

UMass Chan is ranked #1 in the Northeast and among the Top 15 medical schools in the nation for primary care education. Enrollment in the T.H. Chan School of Medicine has increased more than 50 percent in the last 10 years. The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing prepares nurse scientists, advanced practice nurses, nurse educators, and nurse leaders who together improve health care in Massachusetts and beyond. The Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences offers PhD students a broad foundation in the basic biomedical sciences that positions them to succeed in numerous specialty areas and career paths. Across all three UMass Chan schools, 57% of graduates remain in Massachusetts.

As the framework for academic medicine evolves, the next Chancellor must chart a creative path forward for sustained success. The Chancellor should bring an acute sense of how the research mission can strengthen the University’s clinical partners, how ground-breaking research will translate to industry success, how industry and state consulting can aid highly varied partners, and how the campus can support a bustling regional biomedical economy. The Chancellor must combine business acumen with deep research comprehension and a track record of innovation. To stay true to its mission and vision, UMass Chan will need a strategic plan, as well as careful execution, that will elevate an accomplished institution to greater heights. The Chancellor must serve as both the administrative lead and the face of the organization, championing the work of the UMass Chan community to the other chancellors in the University system; elected local, state, and national officials; the University’s clinical and community partners; and the biological sciences industry.

The Search Committee seeks candidates with a significant record of accomplishment in academic medicine and administration; a superior understanding of the environment required for the highest levels of attainment in clinical practice and biomedical research; a strong record of working with diverse and highly qualified faculty, students, and staff; a demonstrated capacity to represent the campus compellingly with prospective donors; an ability to lead a substantial fundraising campaign and marshal the support of the alumni community; and related professional achievements or academic qualifications commensurate with a medical campus chancellor appointment.

UMass Chan is one of five campuses of the University of Massachusetts system, which comprises the T.H. Chan School of Medicine, the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing. The T.H. Chan School of Medicine also features two regional campuses: UMass Chan-Baystate in Springfield, Massachusetts, and UMass Chan-Lahey in Burlington, Massachusetts. Beyond its educational entities, UMass Chan also operates ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School, a public service health care consulting division; and MassBiologics, an FDA-licensed manufacturer of vaccines, biologics, and viral vector gene therapies. UMass Chan is the academic partner of UMass Memorial Health, Baystate Medical Center, and Lahey Hospital and Medical Center.

Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent electronically below.

John Isaacson and Stephanie Fidel are leading this search with Cam Patterson, Nick Strand, Ibaad Nazeer, and Mindy Cimini.

UMass Chan is committed to practicing salary transparency. The minimum hiring salary for this position is $950,000 and maximum is $1,200,000. The final offer is determined by a candidate’s relevant experience and our commitment to internal equity. We review global compensation on a regular basis to ensure market competitiveness and equity. The hiring range for this position has been carefully crafted in alignment with the market.

The University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.