Doug Melton
In his role as Chair of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) Life Sciences Council, Doug Melton, Thomas Dudley Cabot Professor of the Natural Sciences, will lead the life sciences development at Harvard into new phases of development, growth, and improvement. William C. Kirby, Dean of FAS and Edith and Benjamin Geisinger Professor of History, expects that “with Doug’s leadership and vision, we will build a more cohesive and effective life sciences program here in the FAS and, indeed, across the entire University.”
“I am delighted that the Dean has recognized the need to strengthen Life Sciences in FAS by integrating and coordinating efforts across all life science departments, commented Andy McMahon, chair of MCB. “I am especially delighted that he has chosen Doug Melton to lead this exciting new initiative. Doug’s stature in the scientific community and the breadth and depth of his insights make Doug a straightforward choice.”
In making this announcement, Dean Kirby explained that the name of the committee is being changed to “Life Sciences Executive Council” to signal the expansion and amplification of its responsibilities beyond those it addressed in the recent past as the Life Sciences Executive Committee. “Thus far the committee has focused on the promise of collaborative work and core facilities,” explained Dean Kirby. “In order to take the life sciences into the next phase, the committee will need more authority and responsibility than it has had so far.”
Doug Melton, also a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator in MCB, is Co-Director of the recently launched Harvard Stem Cell Institute. His role as Chair of the Life Sciences Council began on June 1.
