Vice President, Research at Texas Biomedical Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas

Job Description:

Our Client

Texas Biomedical Research Institute is dedicated to protecting the global community from infectious diseases with a focus on the most vulnerable populations. Through basic research, preclinical testing and innovative partnerships, the Institute accelerates diagnostics, therapies and vaccines for the world's deadliest pathogens, from Anthrax to Zika. It is the nation's only non-profit, independent research institute with a suite of the highest-level biocontainment laboratories, a national primate research center and over 80 years of experience. At its 200+ acre campus in San Antonio, scientists regularly collaborate with academic institutes, leading pharmaceutical companies, start-ups and the military. They also are training the next generation of bioscience leaders. Texas Biomed's work helped deliver the first COVID-19 vaccine, the first Ebola treatment and the first Hepatitis C therapy. The Institute is now in an exciting phase of strategic growth, engaging local, regional, national and international partners in academia, the private sector and government. Texas Biomed thrives on learning and innovation, combining discovery-based science and applied research with an entrepreneurial spirit that produces high-quality research applicable to a broad range of stakeholders. Its combined research expertise and range of facilities and resources make it a unique enterprise, found nowhere else in North America.

The Institute's collaborative environment fosters cross-disciplinary interactions, driving innovation and accelerating the pace of discovery. From investigating the molecular mechanisms of disease to developing novel therapeutics and vaccines, the Institute tackles complex health challenges with ingenuity and determination, with an emphasis on populations that are underserved and the most vulnerable.

More information is found at Texas Biomed's full website, with information on faculty and scientists here.

Texas Biomed is a national leader among non-profit, independent research institutes (within the Association of Independent Research Institutes) working exclusively on infectious diseases threatening our future. Vulnerable populations to infection are also focused on, including those with chronic inflammatory diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and the elderly. Located on a 200-acre campus in San Antonio, TX, Texas Biomed partners with hundreds of researchers and organizations around the world, targeting advances in the fight against infectious diseases, including AIDS, TB, hepatitis, Ebola, Zika, malaria and other parasitic infections, as well as new and emerging threats, including Chikungunya and COVID-19. Founded in 1941, the Institute enjoys tremendous support from city leaders, public and private sector partners and the community. It has also benefitted from a diverse range of revenue sources.

Texas Biomed is home to the only privately-owned and operated maximum containment Biosafety Level (BSL)-4 facility paired with six BSL3 facilities including select agent BSL3 facilities. Texas Biomed has a range of technologies including PET-CT imaging (including in BSL3), and one of the seven National Primate Research Centers (NPRCs) in the United States that are funded by the NIH (and the only one on a non-profit campus). The Southwest National Primate Research Center provides specialized facilities and expertise in research with a variety of species of nonhuman primates to investigators from around the United States and other countries. It maintains nearly 3,000 nonhuman primates.

Texas Biomed is also the nation's only independent research institute with a fully integrated primate research center and the highest-level biosafety laboratories on one campus.

Texas Biomed has the flexibility to work with partners worldwide – from federal agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health and Department of Defense, to independent researchers and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Texas Biomed utilizes a team science approach to provide the right expertise, unique resources and a business model with flexibility, reliability, and speed in mind to generate discoveries that ultimately benefit human health. Current local partnerships bring together experts and resources from Texas Biomed, Southwest Research Institute, the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and UT Health SA to create research opportunities in the areas of precision medicine and vaccine development among others. Texas Biomed also works closely with UT Health's Barshop Center for Longevity and Aging and maintains strong relationships with biotechnology companies throughout the city and state. Many faculty at Texas Biomed have adjunct appointments at UT Health SA and UTSA and have the opportunity to serve as advisor to their graduate students.

Texas Biomed creates an educationally rich learning environment. It hosts the Texas Biomed Association for trainees (TBAT) at all levels and has training programs supported by valued partners such as the American Cancer Society. It is home to an NIH P30 Center entitled The Interdisciplinary NexGen TB Research Advancement Center (IN-TRAC) to attract the next generation of diverse researchers to the tuberculosis (TB) research field and develop them into independent researchers with multi-disciplinary skills and real-world experience of clinical TB. Finally, it is home to an NIH SEPA Grant aimed at teaching K-12 teachers to discuss real-world science to encourage STEM participation.

The researchers at Texas Biomed do not work in siloed departments, rather, they are working together in three critical programmatic areas of discovery:

Host-Pathogen Interactions (HPI)

The HPI program concentrates on the basic biology of infection in humans and animals and the development of disease. Scientists focus on how an infectious agent such as a parasite, bacteria, virus or fungus can enter our bodies and/or cells and cause illness. Scientists at Texas Biomed are, for example, determining how Ebola or Mycobacterium tuberculosis can infect cells and cause illness, or how HIV can subvert our immune system to persist in our bodies.

Disease Intervention & Prevention (DIP)

The DIP program aids in the development of diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines to prevent disease and reduce the severity, if not cure, disease and infection. Scientists at Texas Biomed are, for example, working to develop new vaccines for HIV and Ebola, new drugs for malaria and schistosomiasis, and new diagnostics for tuberculosis.

Population Health (PH)

The PH program aims to identify correlates of disease susceptibility or resistance to infectious diseases on a population level. Examples at Texas Biomed include studying how genetic variation impacts neurological disorders, heart disease, diabetes and infection.

In addition to the SNPRC, the institute recently launched a new Center known as the International Center for the Advancement of Research and Education (I·CARE). Its mission and goal is to establish translational and implementation science programs in infectious diseases, and to accelerate research and education excellence by building capacity and bringing training to under-resourced settings.

In December 2019, Texas Biomed launched a 10-year strategic plan, the Vision for Change. This bold initiative arose from the realization that by 2050 infectious diseases are projected to be the number-one killer globally – and that Texas Biomed is well-placed to respond. The Vision for Change is rapidly increasing recognition of the need for the Institution's unparalleled research, new funding, and technological innovations that will help advance the groundbreaking science for which Texas Biomed has become known. As a world leader in infectious disease research and building on the Institution's reputation as a best place to work, the plan is catapulting the Institution ahead on six trajectories: science and technology, organizational structure, training and career development, facilities and infrastructure, culture, and business development.

Texas Biomed's Campaign – A Scientific Revolution

Texas Biomed is in the process of doubling its scientists and resources through an ambitious $350 million comprehensive campaign to save lives as a world leader in infectious disease research.

The Campaign is funding three initiatives:

· People – recruitment of teams of top scientists with specific expertise in the institute's thematic areas and dedicated to collaborative scientific approaches to the challenges of infectious diseases, inflammation, immunity and vulnerable populations.

· Programs – designing and funding the support systems needed to ensure a best practices organization, training of the next generation of biomedical researchers and a creative science and related business environment.

· Places – redeveloping the Texas Biomed campus to increase the effectiveness of our research and the collaboration of our scientists.

Significant progress on the campaign has been made over the past five years, including about $100 million invested in enhancements to the Institute's campus. These include a combination of new facilities (such as the two new recently completed additions to our Animal Care Complex) and significant renovations to existing campus spaces leading to increased capabilities, added capacity and efficiencies. One of the noteworthy investments included the addition of a new 7,500 square feet ABSL3 laboratory with imaging capabilities, which was critical in the Institute's work accelerating FDA approval of COVID-19 vaccines and therapies.

The Institute has made progress in other elements of its strategic plan, including: hiring talented faculty (currently 32: 22 research faculty and 10 veterinary faculty) and staff (currently over 100 professional staff and total employee count has grown from around 360 to about 450); adding programmatic enhancements (including talent management systems, inclusivity and leadership excellence programs and educational programming ranging from K-12 to post-doc programs); adding capabilities (new state-of-the-art scientific equipment and information technology resources); offering enhancements for our employees (new wellness center, on-site medical clinic, campus cafe, etc.); and yielding first-quartile employee engagement survey scores. Also, during this period, the Institute's annual grant and contract revenues have grown from around $35 million annually to $80 million, driven by our highly productive faculty and increased business relationships with the addition of a dedicated business development team (Applied Science and Innovation unit) in 2020.

Funding for these enhancements has come from a variety of sources, including issuing public debt, selling underutilized real estate assets, federal grant support, local government assistance, and – of course – philanthropy. The next phase of the campaign will focus on securing the necessary resources to provide funding for bringing new critical facilities online and further building out the campus to facilitate the growth envisioned in the strategic plan.

Leadership

Dr. Larry Schlesinger

President/CEO

Larry S. Schlesinger, M.D., is an internationally recognized authority on infectious diseases with a particular interest in tuberculosis and lung biology. He took the reins of leadership as President/CEO of Texas Biomed in 2017 and has led a transformational strategic planning process that is currently being implemented.

Since coming to San Antonio, Dr. Schlesinger has made a huge impact on the San Antonio biomedical research community, particularly building stronger relationships and innovative partnerships with UT Health San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute, the University of Texas at San Antonio, other colleges and universities in the region, and the private sector biomedical landscape. He serves on the boards of Biomed SA and the SA Medical Foundation and has spoken in several citywide venues discussing the virtues of working together to achieve great things.

Dr. Schlesinger also serves as a Professor at Texas Biomed and is Principal Investigator (PI) of several ongoing research grants. He serves as PI for the Southwest National Primate Research Center Base Grant. In 2018, Dr. Schlesinger was named a Healthcare Hero by the San Antonio Business Journal in the area of Outstanding Medical Researcher. In 2021, he was awarded Word Affairs Council of San Antonio International Citizen of the Year.

Dr. Schlesinger earned a B.A. in Biology from Cornell University and M.D. from Rutgers Medical School. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Michigan and clinical and research fellowships in infectious diseases at UCLA. In 1991, he joined the faculty at the University of Iowa, where he served as Fellowship Director for the Division of Infectious Diseases and Associate Chair of the Department of Medicine. In 2002, he moved to the Ohio State University, where he served as Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, until 2011, when he became first chair of Microbial Infection and Immunity. He also founded the university-wide Center for Microbial Interface Biology (now the Infectious Diseases Research Institute).

Dr. Schlesinger is a leading physician scientist whose studies focus on the pathogenesis of tuberculosis and other airborne infectious agents that subvert lung immune mechanisms. His discoveries have led to greater insight into the unique attributes that soluble and cellular components of the innate immune system of humans bring to the microbe-host interface, translating them into drug discovery platforms. He is a prolific scholar, having authored more than 230 peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and chapters in leading textbooks on tuberculosis and lung biology. He is also editor of two books. He has been continuously funded by the NIH and a number of other agencies for 30 years, a member or chair of several NIH study sections (and NIAID council member) and other private and federal agencies, and a Fellow of the AAAS, American Academy of Microbiology, AAP, and IDSA. He has served on many advisory boards for universities, NIH, and FDA among others.

Dr. Schlesinger has placed great emphasis on education and mentoring throughout his career, particularly in clinical and translational research, and has been committed to building strong interdisciplinary academic programs through his leadership on training grants and as part of the Medical Scientist Training Program.

San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio is the second-largest city in Texas, after Houston, with a population of 1.5 million people. San Antonio is home to a vibrant, diverse culture and features iconic landmarks like The Alamo and the River Walk and is home to the NBA's San Antonio Spurs. San Antonio is the headquarters of six Fortune 500 companies including Valero Energy, Andeavor (formerly known as Tesoro Corp), USAA, iHeartMedia, NuStar Energy, and CST Brands, Inc.

Between 2021 and 2022, San Antonio became the third-fastest-growing large city in the United States and is listed as one of America's friendliest cities by Travel + Leisure. With steady job growth, beautiful scenery, and a booming food scene, San Antonio has established its own distinct personality. Mexican, European, Asian, African, and Western traditions blend to create something not found anywhere else in the country.

The Role

Texas Biomed is seeking an executive leader (VP/EVP) responsible for impacting Texas Biomed's global research development. Reporting directly to the CEO, Dr. Larry Schlesinger, M.D., the VP/EVP of Research will be a key member of the senior research leadership team and will oversee research functions from fundamental research to preclinical research in order to bring high-impact results and best-in-class scholarship. This opportunity will allow the VP/EVP to oversee the creation and development and design of Texas Biomed's resource focus and lead pioneering research in infectious disease, inflammation and immunity, focusing on vulnerable populations, e.g., aging, metabolic dysfunction, cancer, cardiovascular disease, etc.

The direct reports to the VP/EVP Research, will include three scientific programs: Population Health, Host Pathogen Interactions and Disease Intervention & Prevention, as well as the supporting administrative teams: Research Administration and Operations (research space and institutional cores and programs), Research Compliance, and Research Education. The total team size is ~70 people.

Key Responsibilities:

· Lead, organize and manage an advanced research organization aligned with Texas Biomed's mission, vision and values.

· Foster and promote a culture of research integrity and responsibility and ensures that all Institute personnel adhere to regulations, policies procedures and strict standards of ethical conduct in planning, conducting and reporting research activity.

· Fosters an environment that recognizes research excellence, collegiality, and scholarship.

· Advises the President on research initiatives, policies, and operations and serves as a member of the senior leadership team of the Institute.

· Provides leadership and management in reviews and assessments that provide recommendations to the President, on proposals for large-scale research activities such as Institute-wide research, centralized research facilities, interdisciplinary research programs and inter-institutional research agreements.

· Works with the President to strengthen research within academic programs, departments, centers, and institutes, including strategic plans for the development and renovation of research space.

· Mentor and develop staff and faculty using a supportive and collaborative approach. Establish and monitor staff performance and development goals, assign accountabilities, set objectives, establish priorities, conduct mid-year and annual performance appraisals and administer salary adjustments.

· Consult with corporate attorneys as necessary to discuss legal compliance issues.

· Implements the vision, strategic plan, and policies to guide the Institute's research portfolio and consults regularly with representatives of the research enterprise within the Institute to achieve the research goals of the Institute, improve research funding levels, and raise its research ranking.

· Develop and provide oversight of institutional cores, research programs, and compliance units.

· As qualified, assume the roles of Institutional Official (animal welfare), Responsible Official (select agents), and Research Integrity Officer (misconduct).

Hybrid work environment but must be located in San Antonio, Texas or surrounding areas.

Candidate Profile

Requires a Doctoral Degree (e.g., Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., or equivalent) from an accredited college or university. Requires ten or more years of job-specific experience. The VPR must have academic credentials and previous experience that merit appointment at the rank of professor or equivalent in an academic unit within a university or independent research institute.

· Successful experience in administrative leadership in academia, or a comparable position in a leading non-academic research institution.

· Knowledge of research compliance required; human, animal, environmental, and biosafety compliance requirements; research misconduct investigation processes; foreign influences, and export control.

· Ability to clear background checks and to assume the role of Institutional Official (animal welfare), Responsible Official (select agents), Research Integrity Officer (misconduct) amongst other responsibilities associated with research activities.

· Experience in working at the federal level on research initiatives, challenges and policies, indirect cost rates, effort reporting, federal and state regulations relating to grants, federally sponsored programs, technology transfer, and commercialization of research.

· May perform other tasks as assigned.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Setting Strategy

· The ability to create and articulate an inspiring vision for the organization, not only for the areas directly responsible for, but the enterprise as a whole. To be a role model for the values of the institute: Teamwork, Integrity, Diversity, Excellence, and Safety.

· The inclination to seek and analyze data from a variety of sources to support decisions and to align others with the organization's overall strategy.

· An entrepreneurial and creative approach to developing new, innovative ideas that will stretch the organization and push the boundaries within the industry.

· The ability to effectively balance the desire/need for broad change with an understanding of how much change the organization is capable of handling, to create realistic goals and implementation plans that are achievable and successful.

Executing for Results

· The ability to set clear and challenging goals while committing the organization to improved performance; tenacious and accountable in driving results.

· Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; the ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations.

· A risk-taker who seeks data and input from others to foresee possible threats or unintended circumstances from decisions; someone who takes smart risks.

· A leader who is viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought in making decisions; the ability to act in a transparent and consistent manner while always taking into account what is best for the organization.

Leading Teams

· The ability to attract and recruit top and diverse talent, motivate the team, delegate effectively, celebrate diversity within the team, and manage performance; widely viewed as a strong developer of others.

· The ability to persevere in the face of challenges and exhibit a steadfast resolve and relentless commitment to higher standards, which commands respect from followers.

· A leader who is self-reflective and aware of any personal limitations; leads by example and drives the organization's performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement.

Relationships and Influence

· Naturally connects and builds strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.

· An ability to inspire trust and followership in others through compelling influence, powerful charisma, passion in beliefs and active drive.

· Encourages others to share the spotlight and visibly celebrates and supports the success of the team.

· Creates a sense of purpose/meaning for the team that generates followership beyond the leader's personality and engages others to the greater purpose for the organization as a whole.

Contact

Nick Henderson Russell Reynolds Associates

2001 Ross Avenue, Suite 4500

Dallas, TX 75201

Mobile: +1 (412) 608-8173

nick.henderson@russellreynolds.com

Joi Hayes Russell Reynolds Associates

1700 New York Avenue NW, Suite 400

Washington, DC 20006

Mobile: +1 (410) 395-4524

joi.hayes@russellreynolds.com

Bob Brousseau

Russell Reynolds Associates

2001 Ross Avenue, Suite 4500

Dallas, TX 75201

Mobile: +1 (214) 938-1054

bob.brousseau@russellreynolds.com

Texas Biomedical Research Institute provides equal employment opportunities for all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or other legally protected status.

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