Meera Nair, PhD, has been appointed as the new associate dean for biomedical research at the UC Riverside School of Medicine. 

In the position, Nair will provide strategic leadership to support, enhance, and expand biomedical research at the school and will be responsible for oversight and operations of research facilities, infrastructure, processes, and systems to support efficient and high-quality biomedical research. 

“During her 12 years here at UCR, Dr. Nair has built a successful externally funded research program and has demonstrated a strong commitment to multidisciplinary collaboration,” said Deborah Deas, MD, MPH, the vice chancellor for health sciences and the Mark and Pam Rubin dean of the School of Medicine. 

“She has developed expertise in utilizing cutting-edge research technologies to tackle biomedical questions, and experience in advising on instrument acquisition, in obtaining research resources and instrumentation grants, and in training students and researchers on the use of various technologies. This experience makes her ideal for this important role,” Deas added. 

Nair, a full professor of biomedical sciences, joined UCR in 2012 as an assistant professor after graduating with her PhD from the University of Edinburgh and completing post-doctoral fellowships there and at the University of Pennsylvania. 

In the lab and classroom, Nair is known for a holistic approach that teaches PhD and MD students a wide variety of skills that ensures future success. In the lab, she and her team have worked on a variety of biomedically relevant topics, including infectious diseases, inflammation, and metabolic disorders. This experience as an educator and researcher makes her ideal for this important role.” 

Her research includes understanding the mechanisms underlying immune homeostasis and inflammation in response to injury, infection, and metabolic perturbations.