Michael Bertram, Ph.D., Michael Bertram, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Cellular, Developmental and Integrative Biology, has been named director of the UAB Institutional Research Core Program (IRCP) following a competitive campuswide search. He will assume the role Aug. 1.
“I am excited about the opportunity to serve the greater UAB research community through the research infrastructure provided by Institutional Research Core Program,” Bertram said. “I believe they are critical to the research mission of UAB and, when strategically aligned, they will significantly impact the growth of UAB’s extramural funding success.”
Bertram, who joined UAB as assistant professor in the Department of Medicine in 1999 and was the administrative director of the Center for AIDS Research (2004-07), also is associate director for administration in the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and an alternate senator representing the Joint Health Sciences on the UAB Faculty Senate.
“Dr. Bertram has been an integral part of the UAB research community for two decades, and I believe that he has the expertise and the tenacity to serve the IRCP effectively.”~ Selwyn Vickers |
“Growing and developing our cores is absolutely vital to the success of research here at UAB, and I’m very excited that Dr. Bertram has been selected for this crucial role,” said Selwyn Vickers, M.D., senior vice president for Medicine and dean of the School of Medicine. “Dr. Bertram has been an integral part of the UAB research community for two decades, and I believe that he has the expertise and the tenacity to serve the IRCP effectively.”
During the past 20 years, Bertram has led the administration of two University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Centers and chaired the Council of Core Facility Directors (2011-13). In his new role, Bertram will work closely with all core directors to establish efficient, compliant management structures, ensure that federally funded cores develop and document budget plans that follow federal sponsor guidelines, establish a user group to discuss IRCP issues and oversee general core operations. He also will work closely with research committees and institutional leadership to develop a plan for accessing and evaluating current cores and a create a strategic plan for new cores and their sustainable implementation.
"Being an effective steward of our resources for research requires that we invest strategically, and Dr. Bertram will add the leadership and focus to move us in that direction."~ Christopher Brown |
“This partnership between the Office of the Vice President for Research and the School of Medicine will serve the entire university,” said Christopher Brown, Ph.D., vice president for Research. “Being an effective steward of our resources for research requires that we invest strategically, and Dr. Bertram will add the leadership and focus to move us in that direction.”
Bertram, a native of Newton, Kansas, received his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of Missouri-Columbia and earned a doctorate in molecular biology and genetics from Cornell University followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine. He received his master’s degree in business administration from the UAB Collat School of Business.
The search committee — chaired by Victor Darley-Usmar, Ph.D., and Kent Keyser, Ph.D., — included representatives from the Faculty Senate plus core and center directors and users.