Following a national search, Paul Anderson, MD, PhD, has been named Chief Academic Officer for Mass General Brigham. Anderson, who has been serving in this role on an interim basis since January 1, oversees Mass General Brigham’s world-class research and teaching enterprise, which includes two academic medical centers — Mass General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital — and three specialty hospitals. Mass General Brigham is the largest hospital system-based research enterprise in the nation, with an annual research budget exceeding $2 billion. Its research enterprise is the top healthcare system recipient of National Institutes of Health funds, encompasses more than 14,0000 researchers and is home to over 2,700 active clinical trials.
“I can think of no better leader to guide our collaborative work across Mass General Brigham to fulfill our research and educational mission,” said Anne Klibanski, MD, president and CEO of Mass General Brigham. “Going forward, Paul’s leadership will be invaluable as we create and sustain an infrastructure that strengthens collaboration and progress for research-infused care that will continue to benefit patients.”
Since January, Anderson has led several transformative initiatives to elevate research and teaching across Mass General Brigham, with a particular focus on supporting enhanced collaboration toward greater impact for patients and the world. Anderson oversaw the launch and growth of the Gene and Cell Therapy Institute, a hub of innovation and collaboration that unites more than 400 researchers and clinicians dedicated to advancing gene and cell therapy. He also played a key role in the launch of the Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, a new organization that leverages a historic $100 million gift to Brigham and Women’s Hospital and brings together investigators from the Brigham, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School to drive clinical application of discoveries in immunology.
“We believe that in the next 5 to 10 years, many new therapies for our patients will come from gene and cell therapy discoveries and research endeavors across our hospitals,” said Anderson. “I'm thrilled to be able to put our vision into practice by supporting our investigators in moving discoveries toward new treatments for patients here and around the world.”
As Chief Academic Officer, Anderson will continue to oversee several key systemwide functions, including Human Subjects Affairs, Clinical Trials Office, Research Management, Research IS Computing, the Data Science Office, Personalized Medicine, Mass General Brigham’s Gene and Cell Therapy Institute, and Graduate Medical Education.
“Educating the next generation of researchers and clinicians is central to our mission,” said Anderson. “Providing a world-class education and training is a key part of who we are and what we do, providing the bedrock for our efforts to improve patient care and advance medical treatment.”
Anderson is a highly accomplished investigator with significant experience in teaching and training. He serves as Academic Dean for Mass General Brigham at Harvard Medical School and is the K. Frank Austen Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. After graduating from the medical scientist training program at the New York University School of Medicine, Anderson came to Brigham and Women’s Hospital to complete an internship and residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Rheumatology before launching his own lab at the Brigham in 1990. He later served as Associate Chief of the Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity and was appointed Chief Academic Officer at Brigham and Women's Hospital in 2015. As he assumes this new role as permanent Chief Academic Officer for Mass General Brigham, he will continue to provide leadership at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, serving as interim Chief Academic Officer there.