Newswise — Bethesda, Md -- Charles L. Rice, M.D., president of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, announced the selection of Yvonne T. Maddox, Ph.D., former acting director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities at the National Institutes of Health, effective June 15, 2015.

“Dr. Maddox comes to USU with a wealth of expertise in both Federal and academic research and an unparalleled record of leadership in research administration primarily at the National Institutes of Health,” Rice said. “She is an internationally recognized authority on science and research policy and will bring to USU an increased focus on collaborative research, global health issues, and population health---all key issues for the DoD and USU.”

As Vice President for Research at USU, Dr. Maddox will oversee a robust clinical and basic science research portfolio important to both the military and public health, including infectious diseases, trauma and critical care medicine, health maintenance, post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and cancer. Dr. Maddox will also oversee new efforts in state-of-the-art fields that cut across disciplines, such as genomics, proteomics, and drug-delivery mechanisms.

In addition to her position with the NIMHHD, Dr. Maddox served as the deputy director of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute on Child Health and Human Development, acting deputy director of NIH, and in various leadership positions within other NIH Institutes and divisions.

Dr. Maddox received her B.S. in biology from Virginia Union University, Richmond, and her Ph.D. in physiology from Georgetown University. She began her career at NIH in 1985 in the National Institute of General Medical Sciences as a health science administrator, directing the trauma and burn injury program, moving from Georgetown University Medical Center where she was a research assistant professor. She studied as a visiting scientist at the French Atomic Energy Commission, Saclay, France, and graduated from the Senior Managers in Government Program of the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

“It is an honor to have been chosen to help steer the USU research enterprise,” said Dr. Maddox. “I look forward to working with the faculty and staff to advance research opportunities that will impact positively on the health and wellness of military men and women, their families and communities.”

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The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), founded by an act of Congress in 1972, is the academic heart of the Military Health System. USU students are primarily active duty uniformed officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Public Health Service who receive specialized education in tropical and infectious diseases, TBI and PTSD, disaster response and humanitarian assistance, global health, and acute trauma care. A large percentage of the university’s more than 5,200 physician and 790 advanced practice nursing alumni are supporting operations around the world, offering their leadership and expertise. USU also has graduate programs in biomedical sciences and public health committed to excellence in research, and in oral biology. The University's research program covers a wide range of clinical and basic science important to both the military and public health. For more information, visit www.usuhs.edu.