A Message from the Interim Senior Vice President and Dean, John Sealy School of Medicine, and Chief Research Officer

Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to announce the appointment of two new leaders within our Research Enterprise. As Assistant Research Officers, these individuals will provide vital support to promote the ongoing growth and success of research endeavors across the institution.

Richard (Rick) Pyles, PhD, will serve as the inaugural Assistant Research Officer for Research Development and Administration.  Dr. Pyles is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics with a secondary appointment in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and a member of the Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences.

In this role he will coordinate and enhance the university’s research infrastructure and research-centric administrative ecosystem. He will serve as a key liaison between the Chief Research Officer and multiple research support units, including pre-award, post-award, sponsored programs, research education, and research analytics.

Shikha Wadhwani, MD, MS, FASN, will serve as the inaugural Assistant Research Officer for Clinical Research. Dr. Wadhwani is an Associate Professor, Vice Chair of Clinical Research, and Director of Nephrology Clinical Trials in the Department of Internal Medicine. Along with Lori Simon, RN, she chairs the Committee for Clinical Research.  

In this new role, Dr. Wadhwani will mentor faculty pursuing clinical research, facilitating clinical trial development, and ensuring strategic alignment of research initiatives with institutional goals. She will be a key liaison between the Chief Research Officer and clinical research support units, including the Director of Clinical Trials, and across university schools, departments, centers, institutes, and the CTSA program, ensuring institutional constituency, high standards, and long-term growth in clinical research activity. 

Both appointments are effective May 1, 2025. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Pyles and Dr. Wadhwani to their new roles.

Sincerely,

Antonio C. Bianco, MD, PhD
Interim Senior Vice President and Dean, John Sealy School of Medicine
Chief Research Officer