Research Committee

Charges and Responsibilities

McGovern Medical School Research Committee serves in an advisory capacity to the Dean and Administrative Council on matters pertaining to research activities at the Medical School and makes recommendations for infrastructural improvements.  The Committee also screens and selects applicants for intramural and extramural grants/awards, and provides oversight and management for the Dean’s Lecture Series, the Ernst Knobil Distinguished Lecture, the Cheves Smythe Distinguished Lecture, Interim Grant Assistance and Supplement Programs, and the Annual Medical School Research Retreat.

Member List

Executive Leadership

  • John H. Byrne, Ph.D.,  Associate Dean for Research – Chair, Research Committee
  • John F. Hancock, M.B., B.Chir., Ph.D., Sc.D., Executive Dean, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth, Vice Dean, Basic Research – Ex officio
  • Kevin Morano, Ph.D., Senior Vice for Academic and Faculty Affairs – Ex officio
  • Jon Tyson, M.D., Vice Dean, Clinical Research and Healthcare Quality – Ex officio

Term Expires 2025

  • Holly Holmes, M.D., Internal Medicine
  • Thomas Northrup, Ph.D., Family & Community Medicine
  • Shiqiang Tao, Ph.D., Neurology
  • Jessica Lee, M.D., Internal Medicine
  • Gabriel R. Fries, Ph.D., Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
  • Abigail S. Zamorano, M.D., Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
  • Shuyang Han, Ph.D., Orthopedic Surgery
  • Radha Korupolu, M.D., Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Term Expires 2026

  • Tina Findley, MD, Pediatrics
  • Dana Giza, MD, Internal Medicine
  • Absalon Gutierrez, M.D., Internal Medicine
  • Luca Lavagnino, MD, PhD, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
  • Wenliang Li, Institute of Molecular Medicine
  • Jacqueline Parchem, MD, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
  • Paul Potnuru, MD, Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine
  • Anjali Chauhan, PhD, Neurology

Term Expires 2027

  • Peter Doris, Ph.D., Institute of Molecular Medicine
  • Jung-Hwan Kim, Ph.D., Neurosurgery
  • Travis Moore, Ph.D., Integrative Biology and Pharmacology
  • Maria del Mar Romero Lopez, M.D., Ph.D., Pediatrics
  • Argy Stampas, M.D., Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  • Kumar Thankamani Pandit, Ph.D., Neurosurgery
  • Kelly Vaughn, Ph.D., Pediatrics
  • Zheng (Jake) Chen, Ph.D., Biochemistry and Molecular Biology