December 23, 2013: An announcement from Chancellor Michael Drake regarding the new School of Biological Sciences Dean of the School of Biological Sciences

Dear Colleagues:

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Frank M. LaFerla as the School of Biological Sciences Dean of the School of Biological Sciences, effective January 1, 2014.

Professor LaFerla, chancellor’s professor and chair of the department of neurobiology and behavior since 2011, joined UC Irvine in 1995 as an assistant professor in the then-named department of psychobiology. Since that time he has served in numerous leadership roles, including as associate director and now director of UCI MIND (Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders), a research center internationally acclaimed for its work on disorders of the brain, particularly those that are age-related. Professor LaFerla was also founding director of the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, which united several neuroscience-related departments and faculty under one major programmatic initiative and has since facilitated the recruitment to UC Irvine of numerous outstanding graduate students.

Professor LaFerla received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and his B.A. from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, and has research interests in the molecular biology of Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegenerative disorders, transgenic and genetically-modified animal models, presenilins and calcium signaling, and learning and memory. He has received several honors for his research accomplishments, including the Promising Work Award from the Metropolitan Life Foundation for Medical Research, the Ruth Salta Investigator Achievement Award from the American Health Assistance Foundation, the Zenith Fellows Award from the Alzheimer Association, the UCI Innovators Award, and the Senate Distinguished Mid-career Faculty Research Award.

Professor LaFerla is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and an elected member of the American Neurological Association, the American Society for Cell Biology, the International Society for Stem Cell Research, and the Society for Neuroscience. He is a frequent guest speaker at local, national, and international venues, and is a current member of the board of directors of the Orange County Alzheimer’s Association.

I extend my appreciation to Professor Timothy Bradley and the entire search committee for their efforts on behalf of the search process.

Please join me in a warm welcome to Professor LaFerla as he assumes his new role at UC Irvine.

Michael V. Drake, M.D.

Chancellor