Neil Osheroff, Ph.D., Professor of Biochemistry and Medicine, has been appointed to serve as the Director of the newly renamed Academy for Excellence in Education and assumed his new duties on July 1. Dr. Osheroff is a founding member of the Academy and assumes the helm at a time when the Academy has grown to include 107 members. He will replace Founding Director Lillian B. Nanney who has served in this capacity since the Academy was established in 2007. Dr. Osheroff brings multiple perspectives to his new role. He launched his scientific career at Vanderbilt in 1983, and was awarded the John Coniglio Chair in Biochemistry in 2003. He has authored over 225 original scientific articles, chapters, and reviews, and has been funded continuously through NIH grants, VA Merit Awards, and other sources. Nationally, he just finished Chairing the NCI-I "transition to independence" study section, and he has served on a number of editorial boards. Locally, he has served as the primary mentor for 26 Ph.D. students, has sat on dissertation committees for another 50 students, and has been active in several graduate and undergraduate training programs.
In the educational area of his career Dr. Osheroff has taught biochemistry to first year medical students continuously since 1983. He was awarded the Elaine Sanders-Bush Excellence in Teaching Award for "Mentoring Graduate and/or Medical Students in the Research Setting" in 2002, a University Affirmative Action and Diversity Initiative Award in 2005, and the Robert Collins Excellence in Teaching Award for "Teaching Medical or Graduate Student in the Lecture Setting" in 2009. In 2016, along with his colleagues on the Foundations of Medical Knowledge leadership team, he was awarded the Denis O'Day Teaching Award for "Team-Implemented Curricular Reform." Dr. Osheroff is a founding member in the Academy and a founding member of the Master Science Teachers. He has served tirelessly as a block director and has used his skills and experience to help integrate biochemistry and other foundational sciences throughout Curriculum 1.0 and 2.0. He currently Chairs the Foundations of Medical Knowledge Phase Team and serves as one of the directors for the Human Blueprint and Architecture Block. He represents Vanderbilt on the national and international scene as the immediate Past-Chair of the Association of Biochemistry Educators and as the Treasurer of the International Association of Medical Student Educators. He has authored 8 educational papers and over the past three years has given over 20 educational presentations at a variety of universities and conferences.
A new leadership mechanism has been established to assist Dr. Osheroff in his role as the Director of the Academy. He will be guided by an Executive Board, which currently consists of the Past Director, and by two newly elected members-at-large.
