University of Utah announces 6 new professorships in health and clinical research funded by the Huntsman family – Salt Lake Tribune

The contribution is part of ongoing support for chairperson positions at the school that were announced in 2017 when the initial six positions were named. This latest installment comes now after the family said goodbye to Huntsman Sr. in February 2018.

Thanks to the tremendous generosity of the Huntsman family, we are thrilled to be able to honor these outstanding faculty members, said U. President Ruth Watkins in a news release.

Accordingly, the professorships at the U. focus on health and clinical research. The chairpersons will sit for a five-year term, ending in June 2024. Here are the six individuals selected:

Bass is a professor of biochemistry and human genetics. She studies cell growth, too, at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, including the pathways of RNA.

Colman is a professor of neurosurgery who has been nationally recognized for his research. He focuses on the treatment of primary and metastatic brain tumors. And he has taken a special interest in developing new therapies to treat those.

Cummins teaches in the U.'s College of Nursing. Her research interest is on improving health care for patients.

Looper is professor of both organic and bioorganic chemistry who came to the U. in 2007 after studying at Harvard. He studies molecule behavior and how that impacts diseases, such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis and cancer.

Steffen Schmitz-Valckenberg

Schmitz-Valckenberg researches in ophthalmology and visual sciences at the U. He focuses on age-related macular degeneration and performs eye surgery.

Shepherd teaches neurobiology and anatomy and researches how the brains processes malfunction with neurological disorders.

Editors note: Paul Huntsman, a son of the late Jon Huntsman Sr., is the owner and publisher of The Salt Lake Tribune.

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University of Utah announces 6 new professorships in health and clinical research funded by the Huntsman family - Salt Lake Tribune