UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE NAMES DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST AND ACADEMIC LEADER GERALD M. WILSON, PHD, AS CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

BALTIMORE, Dec. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) Dean Mark T. Gladwin, MD today announced the appointment of Gerald M. Wilson, PhD, as Chair of the School's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, effective December 15, 2025. Dr. Wilson, a distinguished scientist and educator, brings more than two decades of leadership and internationally recognized research in RNA biochemistry and cancer mechanisms to this role. As part of the appointment, he will be endowed as the John F.B. Weaver Professor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Dr. Wilson joined the School of Medicine in 2002 as an Assistant Professor, was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure in 2009, and became Professor in 2022. From 2011-2023, he directed the combined University of Maryland (UMB/UMBC) Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, shaping graduate education and mentoring future leaders in biomedical research. He served as Interim Chair of the Department during the past two years.

A prolific scholar with more than 80 peer-reviewed publications and an h-index of 42, Dr. Wilson's research has advanced understanding of the mechanisms of RNA-protein interactions; this includes their roles in post-transcriptional gene regulation and dysregulation of these processes in cancer and cardiovascular disease. His work has been funded by major grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association. He is also co-editor of the 2023 book RNA-Based Mechanisms in Cancer and holds multiple U.S. patents for DNA ligase inhibitors aimed at cancer therapy.

"I am deeply appreciative to the Search Committee led by Dr. Elena Fertig for this outstanding recommendation. As Interim Chair, Gerald has provided steady leadership and strengthened the department through his active engagement and commitment to advancing research," said Dean Gladwin, who is also Vice President, Medical Affairs, UM Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko Distinguished Professor and Dean. "He has already begun efforts to revitalize drug discovery, expand core facilities, enhance our research space, and recruit outstanding faculty in collaboration with the UM Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. I look forward to continuing to work with Gerald as a valuable member of our School's leadership team."

As Chair, Dr. Wilson plans to champion educational innovation, resource stewardship, and to foster a culture of inclusion and respect, while promoting academic citizenship through mentoring and national engagement. His leadership will strengthen departmental capabilities and connect scientific discoveries to improved healthcare.

"I am grateful for the trust that Dean Gladwin has placed in me to lead the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the honor of continuing to serve this outstanding community of scholars," said Dr. Wilson. "This is an exciting opportunity to broaden the department's areas of expertise, and I look forward to strengthening existing and fostering new collaborative efforts to further our research, education, and service missions."

Dr. Wilson earned his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Queen's University in Kingston, Canada, followed by postdoctoral training at Wake Forest University and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

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SOURCE University of Maryland Medical Center