Anjon Audhya, PhD, will become the inaugural vice dean for research for the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health effective April 19. The role serves as the chief research officer for the school, charged with articulating the goals and vision of the school’s research enterprise to major stakeholder groups and planning for the long-term success and global impact of research activities.
Audhya, a professor of biomolecular chemistry, joined the school’s faculty in 2008. In 2019, he became associate dean for basic research in the school’s Office of Basic Research, Biotechnology and Graduate Studies and senior associate dean leading the office in 2021.
As vice dean for research, a role often found at top research-intensive medical schools, Audhya will continue to advance the School of Medicine and Public Health’s position as a high-ranking national frontrunner in research and innovation. The school ranks 10th among U.S. public universities for National Institutes of Health funding, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. In fiscal year 2025, the school’s research expenditures reached nearly $700 million for the first time. UW–Madison ranks fifth in the United States for its university research expenditures, according to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development Survey, and second among universities in the United States for most doctorate degrees granted, according to the Survey of Earned Doctorates.
Audhya’s portfolio will be dedicated to identifying emerging scientific fields and opportunities that have high potential to advance human health, as well as spearheading efforts to expand research funding, strengthen partnerships and collaborations, and grow the infrastructure that makes research possible. He will oversee the school’s efforts to train and develop the next generation of scientists and foster commercialization of research. In addition, he will ensure that research activities are compliant, safe and conducted with integrity, and will provide oversight for clinical trials infrastructure.
“Scientific research is the engine that drives advances in health care, fuels discovery, trains the next generation of scientists and confronts the most urgent health challenges of our time,” Audhya said. “I am excited to build on this strong foundation and lead our research enterprise to new heights as we harness discovery to improve human health.”
The vice dean for research works with senior leaders across the school to align research priorities with the school’s mission and strategic plan and serves as the school’s designee and spokesperson on matters related to basic, clinical and public health research.
The school’s research enterprise has thrived under Audhya’s leadership, with National Institutes of Health research funding rising from $200 million in 2019 to just under $300 million in 2025, according to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. The school’s research programs devoted to discovering new cancer treatments, advancing the use of artificial intelligence in medicine, and understanding and treating cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases have continued to expand. Additional strategic areas of focus include theranostics, neuroplasticity and immunomodulation.
Audhya earned his bachelor’s degree from Brown University and his PhD in biomedical sciences at the University of California, San Diego. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in La Jolla. Leading an internationally acclaimed research program examining how disease alters macromolecular trafficking within cells, his leadership perspective is grounded in deep scientific experience and a passion for discovery.
Among other honors, Audhya is the recipient of the Shaw Scientist Award, an American Cancer Society Research Scholar Award, and UW–Madison’s H. I. Romnes Faculty Fellowship and Kellett Mid-Career Award. Additionally, he was recently named a Fellow of the American Society for Cell Biology.
Nita Ahuja, MD, MBA, dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health, says Audhya’s new role is aimed at sparking purpose-driven innovation that brings societal impact.
“Dr. Audhya has proven himself to be a catalytic and collaborative leader, continually scanning the horizon for new opportunities while also being deeply dedicated to nurturing the success of researchers at every stage of their career,” Ahuja said. “Research is at the heart of our school’s vision of healthy people and healthy communities, and I look forward to the discoveries his leadership allows us to unlock.”
