Kenneth Tramposch, UB graduate and former employee of Bristol-Meyers Squib, took office on Sept. 4 as associate vice president for research at UB.
UB's Vice President for Research Jaylan Turkkan had the final decision on who would be appointed to fill the vacant seat. Among all the applicants Turkkan chose Tramposch because "he has skills and expertise in areas that I do not have."
Tramposch was selected through the efforts of a search committee, which interviewed the candidates and narrowed the field to four prospective candidates who were presented to other departmental members. Ultimately, the committee forwarded a recommendation to Turkkan, who chose the most qualified applicant.
As associate vice president for research, Tramposch will be responsible for already organized research units and centers at UB, scientific programs on both the North and South campuses and reviving programs that will financially support researchers in interdisciplinary fields.
Tramposch will oversee the university's technology transfer operations, as well as taking a strong role in relationships with Roswell Park Cancer Institute, where he is a member of a scientific advisory board.
By providing a greater degree of support to the interdisciplinary fields, Tramposch hopes to "spark new research in cutting-edge sciences."
"So many of our upcoming activities with the new Center of Excellence with drug discovery for the NYSTAR center - so much of that has to do with drug discovery, that he seemed almost heaven sent," said Turkkan. "Not only did he know the drug and pharmaceuticals from a scientific viewpoint, but he knows the industry because he was on the commercial side of the viewpoint. He was at Bristol Myers and he was the head of a new start-up company so he understood the commercial aspects of drug discovery in a way that I never knew."
Tramposch, a UB graduate with a doctorate in medicinal chemistry, established a master's degree program between the UB School of Pharmacy and Bristol-Myers Squib during his time at the company. Prior to coming to UB, Tramposch worked his way through the ranks at Bristol-Myers' Pharmaceutical Research Institute in Buffalo, starting as a senior scientist for biochemistry research in 1981 and moving all the way up to senior director of pharmacology in 1999.
Tramposch was past president and chief operating officer of Pilot Therapeutics Incorporated. As COO, he was responsible for creating and leading large interdisciplinary teams for several drug-development candidates. While at Pilot Therapeutics Incorporated, he was involved in creating corporate research strategies targeting inflammation and cancer therapeutic areas. Tramposch has also served as a research chemist in the Medical Research Department of the VA Medical Center.
