Dr. Timothy Stemmler has agreed to serve as interim vice president for research until a permanent replacement has been selected. The effective date for his appointment is Oct. 1.

Dr. Stemmler is a biophysical chemist with a strong record as a creative scientist. He is a professor of pharmaceutical sciences in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and is the assistant vice president for Integrative Biosciences in the Office of the Vice President for Research.

He has served the university in a number of capacities including the associate dean for research in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, associate dean for postdoctoral studies in the Graduate School, associate chair of pharmaceutical sciences and director of research in Pharmaceutical Sciences. He has also held faculty appointments in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the School of Medicine.

Dr. Stemmler received his bachelor’s degree in physical chemistry (cum laude) and his master’s degree in physical chemistry from St. Louis University. He received his doctorate in biophysical chemistry from the University of Michigan. He completed postdoctoral training at the University of Utah as a NIH Fellow. He joined Wayne State University in 2000.

Dr. Stemmler’s internationally recognized research in iron-sulfur biosynthesis is helping to understand how proteins work and what role they play in the genetic disease Friedreich's ataxia, with the goal of helping to find better clinical treatments. Dr. Stemmler and his team have developed applied biochemical, biophysical and structural tools towards this topic, and have taken an interdisciplinary approach that has been highly beneficial for not only his research, but also for the training of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. He has been consistently funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Associate for 20 years and has over 100 independent research publications. He is highly collaborative in his research nationally and internationally with over 60 research groups worldwide.

Dr. Stemmler received Wayne State’s Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award in 2019 for being an exceptional scholar, gifted professor and outstanding mentor. In addition, he has received numerous university awards including School of Medicine Faculty Research Excellence Awards and College Teaching Awards.

Welcome Dr. Stemmler to your new role in the Division of Research at Wayne State University!