Macrina appointed acting vice president for research at VCU

By Melissa Jones

Francis L. Macrina, Ph.D., director of the Institute of Oral and Craniofacial Molecular Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University, today was named acting vice president for research by the executive committee of VCU’s board of visitors. The appointment is effective immediately.

William Dewey, Ph.D., resigned his position as vice president effective Jan. 19. He will continue with VCU as a faculty member in the School of Medicine’s Department of Pharmacology. Dewey previously had scheduled his retirement from the vice presidency position for June 30.

"Bill Dewey has been a valued researcher and administrator at this institution for more than 30 years," said Dr. Eugene P. Trani, VCU president. "He has always been dedicated to the university and I have high admiration for him personally and professionally."

A search committee for a permanent vice president has been formed and the search process is under way. The committee is co-chaired by Roderick McDavis, Ph.D., VCU provost and vice president for academic affairs, and Macrina.

Macrina has been the director of the Institute of Oral and Craniofacial Molecular Biology since the institute’s inception in 1998. He is known internationally for his work on infectious diseases and bacterial resistance to antibiotics. He also served for more than a decade as chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in VCU’s School of Medicine. From 1986-1997, Macrina directed the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology, Institute of Biotechnology. He served as interim director of VCU’s Massey Cancer Center from 1995- 1997.