Huff appointed to lead VCU Life Sciences

By Melissa Jones

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Commonwealth University’s board of visitors today (May 18) approved the appointment of Thomas F. Huff, Ph.D., VCU professor of microbiology and immunology, as the first vice provost for life sciences. Huff, who has served as interim vice provost for life sciences since April 2000, will assume his new position immediately.

"Over the past year, Dr. Huff has provided strong leadership in the development of this important initiative," said VCU President Eugene P. Trani, Ph.D. "And as we launch VCU Life Sciences this fall, Dr. Huff’s strategy to capitalize and build on the university’s existing strengths will lead our faculty, students and the community in new and exciting directions."

Under Huff's direction, VCU is prepared to move to the forefront of American universities preparing students in the new fields of the biological sciences that have been opened up by the human genome project. At VCU, life sciences will include emerging areas such as biotechnology, bioinformatics, forensic science and environmental sciences and will focus not only on graduate and professional students and the research enterprise, but also on undergraduate education. This fall, Life Sciences 101, a capstone introductory course, will integrate the expertise of VCU’s Medical College of Virginia Campus faculty into the freshman classroom.

"We are in the midst of a scientific explosion – our knowledge and understanding of the nature of life is growing by leaps and bounds," said Huff. "VCU students in the life sciences must be given the tools to achieve scientific literacy, which includes not only scientific knowledge, but an understanding of science’s policy and ethical implications."

"At VCU, the building blocks for a Life Sciences program are in place. This is an initiative that has the potential to incorporate every member of our university community," said Roderick J. McDavis, Ph.D., VCU provost and vice president for academic affairs. "Dr. Huff has encouraged an enthusiasm for VCU Life Sciences that will compel everyone to take advantage of opportunities for teaching collaborations and new research initiatives."

Last October, VCU added a major component to its life sciences initiative when the university received a gift of 342 acres located on the James River. The Inger and Walter Rice Center for Environmental Studies includes a 70-acre lake and both pine and hardwood forests. It will serve as an outdoor, living laboratory for hands-on research in the areas of ecology, environmental sciences and natural resources management.

This fall, VCU will open its new $28.1 million, 132,000 square-foot life sciences building, located at Harrison and Cary streets, which will offer research laboratories, a rooftop greenhouse, and lecture and classroom space.

Huff received his undergraduate degree in microbiology from Clemson University in 1974 and his doctorate in immunology from the University of Louisville in 1980. He was a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral research fellow in immunology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine from 1980-83 and remained on the faculty there until coming to VCU in 1985. Huff has published numerous articles on his research, primarily in the area of mast cell differentiation and development. He also leads the Institutional Grants Program at VCU’s Massey Cancer Center.