Mukesh Jain, a professor of biology, molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry, will assume the role of senior associate provost for life sciences, effective immediately, President Christina Paxson P’19 P’MD’20 and Provost Francis Doyle announced in a Today@Brown message on Tuesday.
In his new role, Jain will advise both the president and provost on Brown’s “life sciences strategy,” the announcement read. He will also work to advance research and teaching at Brown by establishing collaborations across University departments, as well as schools, hospitals and external partners
“This role will allow Brown to leverage its strengths across the entire University and our clinical affiliates to address critical health issues that will impact society,” Jain wrote in an email to The Herald.
Jain joined Brown in 2022 and served as the dean of medicine and biological sciences. He was appointed senior vice president for health affairs the same year. Although his former roles centered around the Division of Biology and Medicine and the Warren Alpert Medical School, Jain’s new position will allow him to work “across the entire University,” he wrote.
Jain will continue serving in his current roles — his terms as senior vice president for health affairs and dean of medicine and biological sciences were renewed.
Part of Jain’s new role will be focused on assisting University leadership in its goal of diversifying Brown’s funding portfolio.
“By establishing distinctive excellence in anchor domains, we also position ourselves to be highly competitive for major federal, foundation, philanthropic and industry funding,” he wrote.
Jain will chair a new advisory group of academic and administrative leaders focused on expanding life sciences research.
“There are depths of expertise at Brown — in physical sciences, social sciences and the humanities — where we can identify collaborations with life sciences to have the greatest impact on well-being.”
The increased focus on life sciences can also provide “an incredible opportunity for engagement by students at all career stages,” Jain wrote. He added that he is considering offering educational seminars and workshops.
He will also chair a group of stakeholders as the University prepares for the 2027 opening of William A. and Ami Kuan Danoff Life Sciences Laboratories. The group will be responsible for allotting building space and determining how the laboratories can “maximize collaboration and impact,” according to the announcement.
Jain’s previous leadership initiatives have positioned Danoff Laboratories as “a cornerstone investment in Brown’s future in life sciences research,” the announcement read.
In 2022, Jain helped establish the Brown Innovation and Research Collaborative for Health, which aimed to unify research across the University’s Division of Biology and Medicine, Brown University Health and Care New England, Paxson and Doyle wrote in the message. He was also instrumental in establishing and securing funding for the Brown’s Giuliani RNA Center.
“Brown has benefited enormously from Mukesh’s experience, expertise and commitment both to research that leads to improvements in human health and to training the next generation,” the announcement read.
Samah Hamid is a university news editor covering faculty and career & alumni. She is from Sharon, Massachusetts and plans to concentrate in Biology. In her free time, you can find her taking a nap, reading, or baking a sweet treat.
