Job Description

Position Details

Title Wood Center Director Translational Research Endowed Chair Specific Title Appointment Type Tenure Track Faculty Department IUSM - Dean's Office Campus IU School of Medicine Indianapolis Position Summary

Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) invites applications for the Director of Translational Research at the Wood Center. The successful candidate will also hold a prestigious Endowed Chair and be tasked with bridging the gap between basic science discovery and clinical application. Applicants must possess an MD, MD/PhD, or equivalent degree and demonstrate academic credentials eligible for tenure.

As the Director, the candidate will hold a dual appointment in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Pharmacology (BMBP) and the Department of Medicine. This leadership role is designed to act as a strategic catalyst—integrating clinical samples into the BMBP research environment while translating pre-clinical data to clinical trials.

The Director is expected to contribute to center efforts in securing NCI Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grants, Program Projects grants and multi-PI grants. Furthermore, they will oversee a strategic multi-year faculty expansion of Center faculty which includes the recruitment of experts in medicinal chemistry, computational pharmacology, multi-omics, and cancer biology. This role provides a unique opportunity to lead a closed-loop system dedicated to the identification, modeling, and delivery of novel therapeutics.

Ample resources and strengths are in place to support this mission, including:

• A Robust Research Pipeline: A strategic Phase 2 recruitment plan to build a team of “target agnostic” medicinal chemists and computational pharmacologists specializing in PK/PD and delivery systems.
• Structural Biology Excellence: Integration with BMBP’s core strengths in Cryo-EM, NMR, and structure-based design to guide lead compound generation.
• Clinical Integration: Direct access to the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center (an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center) and Indiana University Health’s statewide network of 16 hospitals.
• Collaborative Partnerships: The Indiana Collaborative Initiative for Talent Enrichment (INCITE), which fosters partnerships with industry leaders such as Eli Lilly and Co., Roche, and the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute.

Indiana University School of Medicine is committed to being a welcoming campus community and we seek candidates whose research, teaching, and community engagement efforts contribute to robust learning and working environments for all students, staff, and faculty. We invite individuals who will join us in our mission to improve health equity and well-being for all throughout the state of Indiana.

Basic Qualifications

Qualifications: The successful candidate will be a collaborative and transformational leader with a nationally recognized, extramurally funded research program. Candidates must demonstrate a strong publication record and a national reputation in translational medicine, along with progressive leadership experience in academic medicine. A doctorate or terminal degree is required, MD, MD/PhD or equivalent, and the candidate must be eligible for tenure based on academic credentials.

Department Contact for Questions

Jessica Leising, BA

Recruiting Project Consultant

jlleisin@iu.edu

Additional Qualifications Special Instructions

To apply, please use the provided link and include: a detailed curriculum vitae and a letter of interest highlighting the applicant’s personal vision and relevant leadership experience.

. The position will remain open until filled.

Priority Application Review Deadline Expected Start Date Posting Number IUSM-02348-2026