Sanford Burnham Prebys announced Thursday the appointment of David Brenner as the La Jolla-based medical research institute’s next president and chief executive officer.
Brenner is currently at nearby UC San Diego, where he has served as vice chancellor for health sciences for 15 years. He will assume his new role effective September 14.
“David is a highly respected physician-scientist with tremendous administrative and fundraising experience. He is the ideal candidate to grow the institute into an even greater, more successful scientific enterprise dedicated to research that can improve human health.” said James C. Blair, chairman of Sanford Burnham Prebys’ board of trustees.
At UC San Diego, Brenner guided the nearly $2 billion expansion of health sciences that included the opening of the Jacobs Medical Center. He also led the development of the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science.
“I’ve known about Sanford Burnham Prebys for many years — it has so much to offer. The culture of encouraging scientists to pursue opportunities and collaborating with institutions in San Diego and beyond leads to breakthrough research and makes it possible to achieve incredible goals,” said Brenner.
Brenner is a leader in the field of liver research and is widely respected for his work advancing laboratory discoveries to the clinic setting. At Sanford Burnham Prebys, he will continue his research on fibrotic liver disease and liver cancer, using this as the foundation for preventing and treating liver disease.
He succeeds Kristiina Vuori, who announced her intention to step down as president in January after serving in the role for the past 12 years. Vuori will continue as a professor at the institute. Brenner is assuming the role of CEO from C. Randal Mills, who left the Institute earlier this year.