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Dear Colleagues, 

Today I have the distinct pleasure of announcing the appointment of Jeffrey R. Martens, PhD, as the new Senior Associate Dean for Research at the UVA School of Medicine, effective May 15, 2023. Professor Martens is a nationally and internationally lauded leader, researcher and educator. Dr. Martens’ research is focused in two areas of pharmacology and therapeutics, including sensory neuropharmacology and cardiovascular pharmacology, with work in both the heart and olfactory systems. With regard to the olfactory system, Dr. Martens’ work is devoted to understanding mechanisms of olfaction, pathogenesis of olfactory dysfunction, and the development of curative therapies for anosmia. In his studies of the cardiovascular system, Dr. Martens’ lab has focused on the identification of novel targets for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, and atrial fibrillation in particular.  

Professor Martens comes to UVA from the University of Florida College of Medicine where he has been the Thomas H. Maren Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics for the past 8 years. He is recognized as an outstanding leader, responsible for driving a 10-fold increase in extramural funding during his tenure. He also is consistently praised for his superb ability to foster collaboration across clinical and basic science departments as well as leveraging productive synergies with university research centers and institutes.

During Professor Martens’ time as Chair, the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics demonstrated continuous growth both academically and financially, with Blue Ridge rankings moving from 85 to 30, the department’s highest ranking in a decade. Also during his tenure, the academic and scientific achievements of his faculty resulted in Pharmacology and Toxicology ranking in the top 17 nationally, the top 9 of public universities, and 50th internationally by U.S. News & World Report.

Professor Martens has an impressive and long list of peer-reviewed publications and his research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and the American Heart Association, among other major funding sources. Professor Martens also holds long-standing memberships in several professional societies including the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and the Association of Chemoreception Sciences. He has served in several editorial board positions, most recently as an editorial advisory board member for Molecular Pharmacology.

Professor Martens earned his Bachelor of Science and PhD from the University of Florida and did his post-doctoral training at Colorado State University. Prior to joining the University of Florida, he served as faculty at the Oregon Health & Science University’s School of Medicine in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, and at the University of Michigan School of Medicine in the Department of Pharmacology.

I would also like to recognize Linda Duska, MD, MPH, who has served as the interim Senior Associate Dean for Research since March 15, 2021. The strategic guidance, leadership, and program oversight she provided to the School of Medicine have been invaluable. I have extraordinary gratitude for Dr. Duska’s dedication and commitment to the School of Medicine and UVA Health. Dr. Duska will continue in her roles as Associate Dean for Clinical Research in the School of Medicine, Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and as a gynecologic oncologist at the UVA Cancer Center.

Please join me in welcoming Professor Martens to UVA!

Sincerely,

Melina R. Kibbe, MD
Dean, UVA School of Medicine
James Carroll Flippin Professor of Medical Science
Chief Health Affairs Officer, UVA Health