Robert J. Pauley, Ph.D., director and graduate officer of the Wayne State University School of Medicine's Graduate Program in Cancer Biology, has been appointed associate dean of Graduate Programs for the school.

As associate dean, Dr. Pauley will develop, implement and administer educational policies of the university and the School of Medicine Graduate Programs Office, with special emphasis on graduate students. He will be deeply involved in recruitment and retention, advising and mentoring.

He takes over the position left open in January when Kenneth Palmer, Ph.D., was appointed vice dean for Faculty Affairs, Human Resources and Professional Development.

"Dr. Pauley's experience and success in our other graduate programs make him the ideal leader to continue building this vital effort," said Robert M. Mentzer Jr., M.D., dean of the School of Medicine and senior advisor to the president for medical affairs. "I know that with his dedication Graduate Programs will continue to flourish."

Dr. Pauley has served as founding director of the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences and the director of the Basic Medical Sciences Masters program.

"I am honored to have the opportunity to inform undergraduates of the outstanding education and research training opportunities provided by our School of Medicine faculty, and to encourage our present graduate students as they pursue their future careers in biomedical sciences," Dr. Pauley said. "Graduate Programs coordinates efforts in graduate student education and training, as well as recruitment, throughout the School of Medicine. This involves considerable efforts by our outstanding faculty from multiple departments, centers, institutes and programs. The collective success of our faculty in obtaining competitive national funding generates outstanding research training opportunities through which graduate students advance their own careers."

Dr. Pauley said a major focus of his new position will be to disseminate information on the career progress of alumni, the accomplishments of students and the opportunities for potential students.

"As director of both the IBS curriculum and the Basic Medical Sciences Masters program, Bob has intimate knowledge of and long-standing experience with these large and vital educational initiatives," Dr. Palmer said. "Bob also has been fully immersed in the daily operations of the Graduate Programs Office for over 10 years, and his advice and counsel have been invaluable to advancing the biomedical educational and training programs in the School of Medicine. Dr. Pauley has articulated a new vision for Graduate Programs, and I believe he possesses the personal drive and enthusiasm, as well as the support of the administration, to succeed in that vision."

After completing his undergraduate work in biology at Marquette University, Dr. Pauley obtained his doctorate degree in Microbial Genetics from the same university. He served as associate professor and adjunct associate professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Miami School of Medicine.

He was named associate professor of the WSU School of Medicine's Graduate Program in Cancer Biology in 1992, the same year he became director of Cell Resources Core of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, a role he held through 2005.

In addition, Dr. Pauley has served as associate professor in the Department of Internal Medicine Division of Hematology-Oncology, associate professor of the Breast Cancer Program for the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and director and Chair of the Executive Committee of Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences.