Harvard endocrinologist to lead medical school

Dr. Michael Rosenblatt

Rosenblatt, 55, also will have oversight of the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences. He is an internationally recognized researcher in bone and mineral metabolism, an innovator in medical education, the holder of 17 patents and the author of more than 200 scientific papers.

Rosenblatt brings impeccable research and scholarly credentials to Tufts, President Lawrence S. Bacow and Provost Jamshed Bharucha said in announcing the appointment. "He will be a strong academic and intellectual leader who will work with us to take the medical school to the next level while playing a major role in stimulating biomedical and biotech research across our institution," Bacow said. "Medical school deans must understand basic science, clinical research, clinical practice and medical education," he said. "Dr. Rosenblatt has distinguished himself in each of these areas."

"Tufts is a great university with an exciting future," Rosenblatt said. "Tufts Medical School is a wonderful place already with even greater potential. I look forward to working with my colleagues so that Tufts can achieve even greater distinction."

Rosenblatt will succeed Dr. Nicolaos E. Madias, who has served as interim dean since January, following the retirement of Dean John T. Harrington. He is the George R. Minot Professor of Medicine at Harvard and has trained numerous research and clinical fellows as well as graduate and undergraduate students who have gone on to successful careers in research and medicine.

Prior to joining Harvard, Rosenblatt co-led Merck's worldwide development team for the company's drug Fosamax for treating osteoporosis and bone disorders, established major research institutes in Japan and Italy and led the company's worldwide university and industry relations department. During his eight years at Merck, Rosenblatt directed drug discovery efforts in molecular biology and bone biology and research in calcium metabolism, virology, cancer and cardiovascular disease at centers in the United States, Japan and Italy.

Rosenblatt received his medical degree magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School in 1973, and trained in endocrinology at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He earned his undergraduate degree summa cum laude from Columbia College. From 1992 to 1998, he served as director of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology where he trained a highly selective pool of M.D., Ph.D. and dual degree candidates from around the world.

From 1996 to 2000, Rosenblatt served as dean of the Harvard Medical School faculty and senior vice president for academic programs at CareGroup and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He served as president of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center from 1999 until 2001. Recently, he has served as chief of bone and mineral research at Beth Israel. Rosenblatt will relocate his research lab in bone and mineral metabolism to Tufts and will collaborate with colleagues in his area of specialty across the university's three campuses.

Rosenblatt was a founder and the first executive director of the Carl J. Shapiro Institute for Education and Research, an academic center at Harvard that addressed the dual demands on a hospital of providing clinical care while simultaneously training the next generation of physicians. There he pioneered the use of virtual patient cases to improve clinical skills and address the limited access to patients caused by shortened hospital stays and same-day surgery. He also instituted a first-of-its-kind teaching fellows program for physicians making a career commitment to clinical education.

"Dr. Rosenblatt brings a wealth of experience in all the vital sectors affecting medicine, biomedical research, medical education and biotechnology," Bharucha said. "He will be a key member of our leadership team as we forge stronger partnerships in research and education across the university and with our affiliated hospitals."