Pitt announces new vice chancellor for Health Sciences

Pitt announced in a Tuesday press release that Anantha Shekhar, dean of research affairs at the Indiana University School of Medicine, will be Pitt’s new senior vice chancellor for the school of health sciences. 

The current senior vice chancellor for Pitt’s school of health sciences, Arthur Levine, announced his intention to resign from the role last January once his successor was chosen. Once Shekhar takes over the position in June, Levine will continue his work in a new research role at Pitt’s Brain Institute. 

“I am honored and inspired to be joining one of the most respected medical and research communities in the world,” Shekhar said in the release. “I look forward to advancing this goal in partnership with UPMC—for the greater good of society—in the months to come.”

At Indiana University School of Medicine, Shekhar created a common core curriculum across all of the university’s health sciences schools. He also lead the Precision Health Initiative, which created four new biotech companies in Indiana with an estimated economic impact of $200 million in four years.

Along with his work at IU, Shekhar won the 2018 August M. Watanabe Life Sciences Champion of the Year Award for his work with Anagin, a biotech company focussing on treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Shekhar founded Anagin in 2013. 

As the senior vice chancellor for health and sciences, Shekhar will be responsible for Pitt’s six schools of health science: the Graduate School of Public Health, the Schools of Dental Medicine, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. Shekhar will also be responsible for the integration of these schools with UPMC, the University’s clinical partner.