Dean's Weekly Message

October 5, 2026

Dr. Vineet Chopra Stepping Down as Chair to Focus on Executive Vice Dean Role

After five impactful years as Chair of the Department of Medicine, Vineet Chopra, MD, MSc, has announced that he will step down as Chair on October 26 to focus his time fully on his role as Executive Vice Dean for Clinical, Quality, and Research for the School of Medicine.

Our campus has been served exceptionally well by Dr. Chopra as Chair of Medicine, and I am excited to have his full attention as Executive Vice Dean!

While he was Chair of Medicine, we have substantially expanded our clinical enterprise and the number of patients we serve. The department’s faculty members cover more than 1 million patient visits annually.

At the same time, there’s been an intense focus on quality and patient safety, as the department expanded its use of data to inform clinical performance, salary equity, annual reviews, and promotion processes.

During challenging times for research funding, the department achieved remarkable growth. It propelled from 23rd to 14th nationally in NIH funding among departments of medicine. In 2025 alone, our faculty received approximately $162 million in research awards, including $89 million in federal support.

In addition, the department’s investment in research and researchers increased fivefold over five years.

The department’s training programs have expanded in size and ambition. Today, it supports approximately 192 residents and 200 fellows across a broad range of training programs.

Such accomplishment doesn’t happen by chance. It’s part of an investment in creating a culture that values mentorship and professional development. Dr. Chopra and his leadership team have created an environment that supports people who are among the best in their field and then rewards achievement.

I am thrilled that he will be advancing this robust agenda full-time for our entire school as Executive Vice Dean. As Dr. Chopra exhorts his colleagues at the end of every message: “Onward!”

Dr. Mark Earnest Appointed Interim Chair of Medicine

Mark Earnest, MD, PhD, Division Chief of General Internal Medicine, has agreed to serve as interim Chair for the Department of Medicine beginning October 26. Dr. Earnest is a trusted and respected leader whose deep understanding of the department, our people, and our culture will serve us well in the months ahead.

I am confident that Dr. Earnest will lead thoughtfully through this transition while continuing to advance the department’s missions and momentum. A national search will be conducted to identify the department’s next Chair, with the goal of having a successor in place by July 2027.

Additional information about the search process will be shared within this weekly message in the coming months.

In addition to serving as interim Chair of Medicine, Dr. Earnest will also serve as Medical Director and Associate Dean, Medicaid Services, effective October 15, 2026. In this role, Dr. Earnest will work alongside Christina Finlayson, MD, Professor of Surgery and Senior Medical Director, CU Medicine, providing executive physician leadership for the State of Colorado Health Care Policy and Financing Supplemental Payment Program. He will take full responsibility for this program after Dr. Finlayson’s retirement June 30, 2027.

Our New Strategic Initiative Governance Process with University Hospital

I am pleased to announce that we are developing an ever-stronger partnership with UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital with a new strategic initiative governance process.

Leaders from the CU Anschutz School of Medicine and the hospital will work together to implement the UCHA Strategic Initiative Support Fund, which aims to advance clinical care, research, and education on the CU Anschutz campus.

Together, we have identified five key priority themes:

• Neuroscience
• Oncology
• Transplantation
• Musculoskeletal
• Heart

We also have identified cross-cutting platforms:

• Early Phase Clinical Trials
• Big Data and AI
• Imaging
• Cell Therapy
• Precision Medicine

These themes and platforms will be critical to charting our course to the Top 10. The structure will be governed by an Executive Advisory Council that includes me as Dean of the School of Medicine; Tom Gronow, EdD, MHA, President and CEO of UCHA; and a program subcommittee for each of the five priority themes. The program subcommittees will have the highest-level leaders—Department Chairs, Division Heads, Center Directors—helping make these important decisions.

We are setting up the mechanics for submissions for consideration. The window for submissions will be open January 15–29. Reviews will occur in February with top-level leaders conducting their reviews in March with decisions due in April.

We have established a rigorous process for evaluating proposals that requires addressing these key questions:

• Does the request advance a defined priority or platform?
• What meaningful clinical, scientific, patient, workforce, or mission benefit is expected?
• Is the request financially sound, transparent, and capable of creating meaningful value?
• Is there an accountable owner, executable plan, and manageable dependencies?
• Does the request build collaboration or benefit more than one group where appropriate?
• What is the path after fund support ends, if applicable?

There will be more to come, but this is such exciting news that I want you all to start thinking now about how we set a course for our bright future in the Top 10.

Dr. Virginia Borges Named Interim Head of Division of Medical Oncology

Virginia F. Borges, MD, MMSc, Professor of Medicine, has been named interim head of the Division of Medical Oncology in the Department of Medicine effective October 1, 2026. Dr. Borges currently serves as Deputy Division Head and Professor of Medical Oncology. She succeeds Wells Messersmith, MD, who was recently named Director of the CU Anschutz Cancer Center.

Dr. Borges has been a driving force in the division and the CU Anschutz Cancer Center for more than two decades. Over the years, she has helped guide the division’s growth while leading nationally recognized clinical and translational research programs focused on breast cancer in young women and postpartum breast cancer. She currently directs both the Breast Cancer Research Program and the Young Women’s Breast Cancer Translational Program at the CU Cancer Center.

Dr. Borges has helped establish CU Anschutz as a leader in the study and treatment of young-onset and postpartum breast cancer. Her research has generated nearly 12,000 citations and led to national and international collaborations, with sustained support from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and other major funding organizations. In addition, Dr. Borges' work has led to several patent and intellectual property filings related to new targets and therapeutics in treating breast cancer.

Join me in welcoming her to this leadership role!

Dr. Alexander Wiseman Named Head of Transplant Medicine Division

Alexander C. Wiseman, MD, has been named Division Head of Transplant Medicine in the Department of Medicine, effective January 1, 2027.

Dr. Wiseman is a nationally and internationally recognized transplant nephrologist and physician leader with more than two decades of experience advancing kidney transplantation, transplant outcomes, and clinical innovation. Dr. Wiseman completed his nephrology and transplant nephrology training at CU Anschutz. He served on the School of Medicine faculty from 2000 to 2020, rising to the rank of professor and holding numerous leadership positions, including Director of the Renal Transplant Clinic and Medical Director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Programs.

Since 2020, Dr. Wiseman has served as Executive Director of Kidney Transplantation, first with Centura Health and currently with the AdventHealth Transplant Institute. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for excellence in patient care, education, program development, and leadership, including receiving the 2025 Patient Advocate Award from the American Transplant Foundation and 2025 Physician of the Year honors at Porter Adventist Hospital.

Many thanks to Eddie Stenehjem, MD, who was recently named Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, for his leadership as interim Division Head over the past two years. We are pleased to have Dr. Wiseman joining us to lead our first-in-the-nation Division of Transplant Medicine!

Medical Student Catherine Dunn Receives National Honor

Catherine Dunn, a fourth-year medical student, has been named a recipient of the 2026 Pisacano Leadership Award.

She and nine other medical students from across the nation were selected as a members of the 2026 class of Pisacano Scholars. The prestigious scholarship is awarded to students attending U.S. medical schools who demonstrate a strong commitment to the specialty of Family Medicine.

Applicants are evaluated on leadership, academic achievement, clinical excellence, communication skills, and service. The scholarship program provides educational opportunities, leadership training, and financial support to outstanding fourth-year medical students.

The Pisacano Leadership Foundation, established by the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), seeks to strengthen the specialty of Family Medicine by identifying and developing future leaders in the field. The award honors Nicholas J. Pisacano, MD, founder and first executive director of the ABFM, and continues his legacy of advancing excellence in family medicine and primary care leadership.

Dean's Distinguished Speaker

Noémie Elhadad, PhD, Chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics and Vice Dean for AI Initiatives at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, will deliver the Dean’s Distinguished Seminar lecture, “Reducing Diagnostic Delay Through Early Disease Detection: Endometriosis as a Case Study” at 3 p.m., Tuesday, October 13, in Hensel Phelps West Auditorium. A reception in the first-floor atrium will occur after the lecture. The Dean’s Distinguished Seminar Series brings notable scholars to campus to discuss their work. All are invited. You can find more information about this and other events on the campus events calendar, where you can also sign up for event notifications.

Nominate Dean's Distinguished Speakers

The Dean’s Office is seeking nominations for the 2027–2028 Dean’s Distinguished Seminar Series. Each year, this prestigious series brings leading experts to our campus to share insights and foster academic engagement. Previous speakers have included Nobel laureates and directors of leading medical research institutions from across the country. To nominate a speaker, please fill out this form by 3 p.m., Friday, October 23. For questions, contact Judy Sherman, [email protected].

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Featured News

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Faculty and Staff Updates

Ulli Bayer, PhD, Professor of Pharmacology, has been named the inaugural holder of the Pharmacology Endowed Professorship in Neuroscience, established to support research programs of highly accomplished faculty whose work advances the field of neuroscience. Dr. Bayer has built an internationally recognized research program focused on understanding the synaptic plasticity mechanisms that underlie learning and memory, how these processes are disrupted in disease, and how they can be restored therapeutically. His laboratory investigates a range of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Down syndrome, and stroke.

Katrina Claw, PhD, Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics, has been named 2026 Professional of the Year by the Advancing Indigenous Science and Engineering Society.

The award, which recognizes outstanding leadership and technical achievement, honors Dr. Claw’s work advancing genomic research while centering Indigenous sovereignty, trust, and culturally appropriate data stewardship. Dr. Claw’s work spans precision medicine, pharmacogenomics, and efforts to build more ethical and inclusive approaches to genetics research with Indigenous communities.

Randall Meacham, MD, Professor of Surgery and Chief of the Division of Urology, is retiring after an extraordinary career of leadership, service, and impact at the CU Anschutz School of Medicine. Dr. Meacham has led the Division of Urology since 2000 and has also served in numerous institutional leadership roles, including Executive Vice Chair in the Department of Surgery and Medical Staff President at University of Colorado Hospital. Under his leadership, the enterprise has expanded across adult, pediatric, and community practice platforms and has reported remarkable success in research with about $7.4 million, with 73% from federal/NIH sources; in education, producing 51 resident and fellow graduates over 10 years; and in philanthropy, with support approaching $1 million.

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Featured Events

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Recent Publications

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Announcements

AB Nexus Grant Awardees Announced

The AB Nexus Grant Program has awarded $825,000 to five research teams from the University of Colorado Boulder and University of Colorado Anschutz to pursue interdisciplinary research aimed at improving human health and well-being.

Established in 2020, AB Nexus brings together researchers from the two campuses whose complementary expertise can open new avenues of discovery. With this year’s awards, the program has now awarded more than $5.9 million to 64 teams, which have gone on to secure more than $47.6 million in extramural funding awards.

2026 AB Nexus Project Awardees

• A Nanobody-Based Platform for Targeted Degradation of G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Innate Immune Signaling

  Principal Investigators:
  Nathan Belliveau, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, CU Boulder, and John Janetzko, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, CU Anschutz

• Mathematical Modeling to Accelerate Tuberculosis Vaccine Trials

  Principal Investigators:
  Tyler Brown, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, CU Anschutz, and Stephen Kissler, PhD, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, CU Boulder

• Safe and Robust Diagnosis from Symptoms Using Large Language Models

  Principal Investigators:
  Maria Pacheco, PhD, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, CU Boulder, and Indira Sriram, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, CU Anschutz

• Restoring Executive Function Through AI-Guided Neuromodulation

  Principal Investigators:
  Marie Banich, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, CU Boulder, and Cristin Welle, PhD, Professor of Neurosurgery, CU Anschutz

• Detecting Early Warning Signs of Dementia Using High-Frequency Financial Data

  Principal Investigators:
  Theodora Chaspari, PhD, Associate Professor of Computer Science, CU Boulder, and Lauren Nicholas, PhD, MPP, Professor of Medicine, CU Anschutz

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Job Opening: Program Director – Clinical Informatics Fellowship

The Office of Graduate Medical Education is seeking a part-time Program Director–Clinical Informatics Fellowship. The program director is responsible for the overall leadership, administration, quality, and accreditation compliance with the new ACGME-accredited Clinical Informatics Fellowship Program. The program director ensures that the program meets all ACGME Common Program Requirements and Clinical Informatics specialty-specific requirements, prepares fellows for independent practice, and advances the academic mission of Clinical Informatics through education, scholarship, and institutional engagement. Details about the position and directions to apply are available in the online job posting. Questions should be directed to Shanta Zimmer, MD, Executive Vice Dean for Education.

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Social Spotlight

A major grant award from the U.S. Department of Defense will help CU Anschutz researchers translate their work into a new treatment for thyroid cancers that resist standard medications known as BRAF inhibitors. Learn more about the work of Rebecca Schweppe, PhD, Bryan Haugen, MD, and Jennifer Richer, PhD, on LinkedIn.

Follow CU Anschutz School of Medicine on Social Media

Have a good week, 

John H. Sampson, MD, PhD, MBA
Richard D. Krugman Endowed Chair
Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
Dean, University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine