E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA
Dr. Reece is the former Executive Vice President at the University of Maryland, and Dean Emeritus of the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). He is currently the Endowed Professor and Director of the Center for Advanced Research Training and Innovation (CARTI), and Senior Scientist in the Center for Birth Defects Research. He is also a professor in the departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. He is a member of the prestigious National Academy of Medicine (NAM), where he now serves as a Visiting Scholar-in-Residence and leads the NAM committee on the State of US Biomedical Research Enterprise.
He is an internationally recognized physician-scientist, scholar and a sought-after visiting professor and lecturer. He has had a transformative 16-year leadership tenure at the University of Maryland (one of the longest serving Deans in the US), where he has achieved great success particularly in the research and clinical programs. These enterprises are comprised of nearly 10,000 persons within the 42 academic units, and with a budget of approximately $1.5 Billion. The extramural research funding and clinical revenue, each more than doubled; research discoveries, commercialization and company formation grew exponentially. As a result, the UMSOM is now in the top tier of research-intensive medical schools, and ranked (US News and World Report) among the Top 10 public medical schools.
He and his senior investigator colleague lead an NIH multimillion-dollar research laboratory group studying the bio-molecular mechanisms of diabetes-induced birth defects. They have identified and patented key molecular mechanistic intermediates. In addition, signaling pathways, oxidative and ER stress, epigenetics and premature aging are determined to be key contributors to the etiology. He and his colleagues have also developed the technique of embryofetoscopy for early prenatal diagnosis and eventually for curative fetal therapy. His scientific publications exceed 500 manuscripts; 12 books including revisions, and 5 monographs.
Originally from Jamaica, West Indies, Dr. Reece completed a Bachelor of Science degree with honors (Magna Cum Laude) from Long Island University; a M.D. degree from New York University School of Medicine; a Ph.D. degree in biochemistry from the University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica; and an MBA degree from the Fox School of Business & Management of Temple University. He completed an internship and residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center, and a postdoctoral fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Yale University School of Medicine. He remained on the full-time faculty at Yale for almost 10 years, and was promoted through the academic ranks. He served as the Director of the Yale Diabetes-in-Pregnancy Study Unit. Subsequently, he was recruited by Temple University to be the Abraham Roth Professor and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. Between 2001 and 2006, he was Vice Chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and dean of the College of Medicine. In 2006, he was recruited by the University of Maryland to serve in the aforementioned positions. In 2010, he served as Acting President of the University of Maryland Baltimore.
He serves or has served on many academic, governmental and civic organizations, boards and committees: Elected Vice Chair and Chair of the US Council of Deans of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC); The Lasker Foundation Board; FDA Advisory Committee; the NAM Council; the NIH Council; Research!America Board; Clinical Research Forum Board (Chair, Top 10 Awards Program); the Secretary of Health & Human Services Committee on Infant Mortality; The March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation; the Massachusetts General Hospital Scientific Advisory Committee; Loma Linda University Board; Washington Adventist University Board (Chair, Honors College Advisory Board); the Board (Chair) of the Nelly Berman Classical Music Institute; the Agnes Irwin School for Girls Board; the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Board, and many others.
He has received numerous awards and honorary degrees including, the NYU Distinguished Leadership Award in 2009; the 2010 Berson Medical Alumni Achievement Award in Health Sciences, both from his alma mater, New York University School of Medicine; the 2010 Distinguished Service Award from Loma Linda University; the 2012 American Diabetes Association’s Norbert Freinkel Research Award; the AAMC David E. Rogers Award; the 2016 Maryland House of Delegates Speaker’s Medallion Award; the 2016 Doctor of Science Degree (Honoris causa) from Northern Caribbean University; the 2018 University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine Doctor of Science Degree (Honoris Causa), and many others.
Dr. Reece is married to Sharon Reece, MA, JD, LLM, Law Professor at the University of Maryland School of Law. They have three daughters: Kelie (PhD), Brynne (DDS), and Sharon-Andrea (JD).
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