Position Description

The University of Minnesota Medical School invites applications for the role of Chair of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (LMP). This prestigious position presents a unique opportunity for an accomplished leader to shape the future of LMP within one of the nation’s top academic health systems. The successful candidate will advance the department’s mission of excellence in patient care, research, and education while fostering innovation and upholding its legacy of clinical and academic achievement.

This is a transformational leadership opportunity within a research-intensive, land-grant academic health center that ranks among the nation’s top institutions in NIH funding and interdisciplinary innovation. The Chair will join a leadership team focused on expanding precision medicine, investing in immunology and cancer discovery, and elevating academic excellence across the University of Minnesota Medical School and M Health Fairview partnership.

Role & Responsibilities

The successful candidate will possess a strong vision for the future of LMP and the ability to translate that vision into a thriving department. As Chair, you will play a pivotal role in:

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and execute a visionary strategic plan that enhances the department’s clinical, research, and educational programs while aligning with the broader goals of the University of Minnesota Medical School and health system partners. The Chair will foster deeper integration across these missions—strengthening collaboration between research, clinical care, and training—to promote innovation, reduce operational silos, and elevate departmental impact.
• Faculty Development: Recruit, mentor, and retain exceptional faculty and staff, fostering a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and professional growth.
• Research Advancement: Oversee a robust and diverse research portfolio, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and securing extramural funding to advance LMP science.
• Clinical Excellence: Guide the strategic growth of clinical programs, ensuring the delivery of cutting-edge, patient-centered care across all subspecialties.
• Education and Training: Champion the department’s educational mission by enhancing residency and fellowship programs, supporting innovative teaching methods, and preparing the next generation of pathology leaders.
• Financial and Operational Management: Manage departmental resources effectively, including budget oversight, philanthropic development, and resource allocation to support strategic priorities.
• External Engagement: Cultivate relationships with regional and national healthcare leaders, industry partners, and community stakeholders to expand the department’s influence and impact.

Required Qualifications

• Educational and Professional Credentials:
  • Doctor of Medicine (MD), or equivalent international medical degree.
  • Board certification in Anatomic and/or Clinical Pathology (AP, CP, or AP/CP) by the American Board of Pathology (or equivalent).
  • Eligible for an unrestricted medical license in the state of Minnesota.
  • Qualified for a faculty appointment at the rank of Professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School.
• Leadership Experience:
  • At least 10 years of progressive leadership experience in an academic medical setting, with a demonstrated record of advancing clinical, research, and educational excellence.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and inspire excellence across education, research, and clinical care.
• Academic Excellence:
  • Nationally and/or internationally recognized expertise in pathology, as evidenced by a distinguished record of scholarly contributions, including high-impact peer-reviewed publications.
• Skills and Competencies:
  • Exceptional leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse audiences, including faculty, staff, students, patients, donors, and external stakeholders.
  • Proven ability to foster and sustain collaborative relationships across departments, institutions, and external partners.
  • Strong fiscal management skills, with experience overseeing complex budgets and allocating resources efficiently to support strategic priorities.
• Commitment to Mentorship and Inclusion:
  • Demonstrated commitment to mentoring and developing junior faculty and trainees, fostering career growth and academic achievement.
  • Commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion across research, education, and patient care domains.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a visionary and collaborative leader who:

• Brings an exceptional track record in academic pathology, including impactful research and innovative clinical program development.
• Possesses strong leadership experience in an academic medical center or health system with the ability to drive strategic growth and inspire faculty.
• Champions mentorship, faculty development, and diversity in the academic workplace.
• Demonstrates commitment to advancing diagnostic innovation, precision medicine, and interdisciplinary research.
• Understands the evolving landscape of laboratory medicine, including regulatory, financial, and operational dynamics in both academic and clinical settings.
• Exhibits a high level of intellectual curiosity, entrepreneurial mindset, and business acumen.
• Is a forward-thinking visionary committed to investing in and developing cutting-edge technologies that will shape the future of pathology and laboratory medicine.
• Demonstrates a strong record of impactful research with sustained extramural funding—ideally including NIH, NCI, or other federal support—and a clear vision for advancing the department’s national research stature.
• Brings experience in national leadership roles, such as participation in NIH study sections, research councils, or multi-institutional research consortia.
• Has a proven track record of developing and sustaining strong clinical programs, with the ability to articulate and implement a strategic vision that integrates clinical excellence with research and educational priorities.
• Distinguished management experience, with strong financial management and recruitment skills.

Why Join Us?

The Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (LMP) at the University of Minnesota is distinguished by a remarkable legacy of excellence and continuity in leadership. Since its founding, the department has been led by just two chairs, with current Chair Dr. Leo Furcht serving in the role for over 35 years. Under his leadership, LMP has grown into a nationally respected academic powerhouse with a culture rooted in collegiality, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

LMP’s legacy includes a tradition of pioneering leadership in pathology—shaping subspecialty fields, advancing translational diagnostics, and contributing to landmark discoveries in immunology, cancer biology, and molecular medicine. For the next Chair, this is a rare opportunity to build upon a strong institutional foundation and lead one of the country’s most stable and forward-thinking pathology departments into its next era of scientific and clinical innovation.

The department’s resources include the Advanced Research and Diagnostics Laboratory (ARDL), a nationally recognized core facility supporting over 100 global trials across cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurological disease domains.

Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (LMP)

The University of Minnesota Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (LMP) has a distinguished legacy of excellence in patient care, research, and education. Through a culture rooted in collegiality, synergistic collaboration, and academic excellence, the department continues to advance the frontiers of medicine. Faculty are actively engaged in innovative research, delivering impactful educational experiences, and providing exceptional patient care. The department values the contributions of its faculty, trainees, staff, and patients in achieving excellence across all areas of its mission.

Key Features

Faculty: The department includes over 80 faculty members, many of whom are nationally and internationally recognized experts in a broad range of clinical subspecialties and research disciplines.

Residents: Sixteen residents are enrolled in a highly competitive and comprehensive ACGME-accredited training program.

Fellowship Programs: The department offers fellowship training in Blood Banking & Transfusion Medicine, Cell Therapy & Regenerative Medicine, Clinical Chemistry, Cytopathology, Gastrointestinal Pathology, Gynecologic & Breast Pathology, Hematopathology, Laboratory Genetics & Genomics, Molecular Genetic Pathology, Neuropathology, and Surgical Pathology.

Comprehensive Education: Educational opportunities span all stages of medical training, including medical student clerkships, summer internships, a post-sophomore fellowship program, residency and fellowship programs, and post-residency research experiences.

Clinical Subspecialties: The department demonstrates expertise across numerous clinical areas, including autopsy, breast pathology, cytopathology, dermatopathology, gastrointestinal pathology, gynecologic pathology, neuropathology, renal pathology, genitourinary pathology, head and neck pathology, liver transplant pathology, soft tissue and bone pathology, thoracic pathology, cell therapy, clinical chemistry, clinical informatics, coagulation, cytogenetics, hematopathology, clinical microbiology, molecular diagnostics, HLA/immunology, and transfusion medicine/blood banking.

The department also owns and operates M Physicians Outreach Laboratories, a clinical reference laboratory that specializes in innovative and complex diagnostic testing. This laboratory is regionally and nationally recognized and accredited by CLIA and the College of American Pathologists (CAP).

Research Excellence: LMP supports robust research programs with significant extramural funding, primarily focused on cancer, immunology, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and genetics. The department's anatomic and clinical pathology expertise makes it a trusted partner and tissue resource for research across the University of Minnesota. As of federal year 2024, the department ranks 12th out of 93 in the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research rankings, with $19.5 million in research funding.

The department also operates the Advanced Research & Diagnostics Laboratory (ARDL)—a central biochemistry laboratory offering state-of-the-art clinical laboratory and genomics testing services to academic and industry researchers. ARDL is accredited by CLIA, CAP, and the New York State Department of Health.

Full Job Description: https://academic-med.com/job/chair-department-of-laboratory-medicine-and-pathology/