Michael Pfrender, professor and associate chair in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame, has been named interim department chair, effective July 1.
Pfrender, who is also the director of the Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facility (GBCF) at Notre Dame, replaces Jason Rohr, the Ludmilla F., Stephen J., and Robert T. Galla College Professor, who served as director of the department for six years.
"Having worked closely with Mike over the past six years while he served as associate chair, I’ve seen firsthand his thoughtful, collaborative leadership style and his deep commitment to both faculty and students,” Rohr said. “He is exceptionally well qualified to step into the chair role, and I’m excited to see the department continue to build momentum under his guidance. I’m confident he’ll do an extraordinary job leading the department."
Pfrender was hired at Notre Dame in 2009 as an associate professor, after working as an assistant and associate professor at Utah State University. His research centers around evolutionary and ecological genomics, which is the study of an organism’s entire set of genetic material, including how genes interact with each other. Pfrender studies everything from how specific genes help animals adapt to new environments to how genetic variety keeps entire ecosystems healthy.
In his role as the director of the GBCF, Pfrender assists researchers across disciplines using next-generation sequencing and spatial genomics to solve a variety of complex problems.
"I get to interact with a wide variety of colleagues in my role as GBCF director, and I've really enjoyed that, because it exposes me to cutting-edge research that is well outside my specific area," said Pfrender.
As he takes on the role of department chair, he has identified several priorities. One is ensuring strong collaboration and communication across the department, which is housed in three buildings: Galvin Life Sciences, McCourtney Hall, and Jordan Hall of Science. He is committed to keeping the department well connected and operating seamlessly across these locations.
He sees the modern, shared space in McCourtney as a benefit to student and researcher collaboration. “For students especially, it’s a great environment because they’re completely integrated with students from widely different research areas,” he said.
Pfrender also plans to continue the foundation laid by Rohr, whose leadership resulted in a significant increase in the global research profile.
"I think Jason's been a tremendous chair. The faculty hires we made under his leadership have significantly enhanced our expertise and elevated our national and international reputation," Pfrender said. “Jason leaves us with a well-organized department that is on a great trajectory to contribute to the growth and development of research and education in the life sciences at the University.”
Pfrender earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan and his doctorate in biology at the University of Oregon, and then worked as a postdoctoral research associate at Oregon State University.
As he steps into his new role, Pfrender said he is excited to influence the next generation of scientists.
"I think the ability to foster our up-and-coming, early career faculty is really exciting,” he said. “I look forward to playing a role in shaping the future of the department by contributing to the hiring process.”