Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Director of the Institute of Human V

Job Description

The Opportunity

The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) seeks an accomplished, visionary, and collaborative scientist-leader to serve concurrently as Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Director of the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) . For the first time, UMSOM will bring these two leadership roles together, creating an exceptional opportunity to advance an integrated scientific vision across microbiology, immunology, virology, and related areas of human disease.

The successful candidate will lead two highly regarded academic and research enterprises with complementary strengths and significant potential for continued growth. This individual will establish an ambitious scientific agenda, strengthen foundational and translational research, recruit and develop outstanding faculty, and create new opportunities for interdisciplinary discovery across the Department, IHV, and the broader UMSOM community.

As Chair, the individual will provide strategic, academic, scientific, and administrative leadership for the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. The Chair will build upon the Department's existing strengths, advance excellence in research and education, support the success and development of faculty and trainees, foster productive effective integration with IHV, and productive connections with other departments, centers, and institutes across UMSOM.

As Director of IHV, the individual will provide strategic leadership for IHV's broader mission--which encompasses basic, translational, and clinical research, epidemiology, public health, education, and global health. Working in close partnership with the accomplished leaders of for these complementary programs, the Director will advance IHV's mission to improve human health through scientific discovery, innovation and global collaboration. A central priority of this role will be to strengthen and expand IHV's laboratory research enterprise.

The Director will assess existing capabilities, establish clear scientific priorities, recruit and support exceptional investigators, and cultivate the infrastructure and collaborative environment necessary for sustained research excellence.

This is a leadership opportunity of exceptional breadth and scientific potential. The Chair and Director will have the platform to shape an integrated research strategy, develop areas of distinction, and position UMSOM for continued national and international leadership in microbiology, immunology, virology, infectious diseases, and related disciplines. The role calls for a distinguished scientist who combines intellectual vision and academic credibility with the executive and administrative capabilities required to lead two substantial and multifaceted organizations.

About the Department

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) is a nationally recognized academic department dedicated to advancing knowledge of infectious diseases and immune regulation through rigorous research and comprehensive trainee development. The largest basic science department in the UMSOM, the Department consists of 68 total faculty including 34 core faculty members. The Department has achieved sustained research excellence and a strong national reputation.

In 2025, its faculty generated approximately $19.2 million in research expenditures, the majority from the National Institutes of Health. The Department is perennially ranked in the top-10 of microbiology and immunology departments in the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings, a widely recognized measure of NIH funding among departments at U.S. schools of medicine.

About the Institute

The Institute of Human Virology (IHV) is the first center in the United States - perhaps the world - to combine the disciplines of basic science, epidemiology and clinical research in a concerted effort to speed the discovery of diagnostics and therapeutics for a wide variety of chronic and deadly viral and immune disorders. IHV has more than 240 employees including more than 60 faculty whose research efforts are focused around chronic human viral infection and disease.

At present, a majority of the Institute's clinical and research effort is targeted at HIV infection, but also includes the Hepatitis C virus, herpes viruses and cancer research.

• Terminal degree (PhD, MD, MD/PhD or equivalent) in a relevant discipline (e.g. virology, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, etc.)
• Academic accomplishments and national or international distinction commensurate with appointment as Professor at UMSOM; rank and tenure status will be determined by the successful candidate's qualifications.
• A strong track record of federally funded research and a deep knowledge of the important directions in discovery and innovation in research. Experience with major collaborative or programmatic grants is strongly preferred.
• Substantial and…