Antonio Bianco, MD, PhD, has joined the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) as vice president and vice provost, research, and chief research officer, effective Sept. 1.
A renowned physician-scientist, scholar, and research leader, Bianco possesses an impressive academic career that includes influential contributions to the field of thyroid diseases and an enduring commitment to education and mentorship.
Bianco says that it is a privilege to lead the research enterprise at UTMB, home to the Galveston National Laboratory, which is one of the largest high-containment laboratories in the U.S. “This lab plays a critical role in national biodefense, focusing on dangerous pathogens such as SARS, anthrax, and smallpox,” he tells Endocrine News. “UTMB’s scientists and physician-scientists maintain an ambitious portfolio that spans microbiology, infectious diseases, and vaccine development. In addition, UTMB hosts one of the few residency programs in aerospace medicine and leads the field in human microbiome and aging research.”
Bianco earned his MD at the Santa Casa Medical School and PhD in human physiology at the University of São Paulo, both in São Paulo, Brazil. In 1998, he was recruited to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where for 10 years he studied the cell and structure biology of deiodinases. After he served as chief of the Thyroid Section, he moved to Miami to lead the Division of Endocrinology at the University of Miami. In 2014, he was appointed the Charles A. Weaver Professor of Cancer Research, senior vice president and vice dean of clinical affairs, and president of the Rush University Medical Group in Chicago. Since 2018, he has served as Professor in the Department of Medicine, Section of Adult and Pediatric Endocrinology, and Director of the Thyroid Study Unit at the University of Chicago.
“In today’s increasingly complex research landscape, managing budgets that total hundreds of millions of dollars while ensuring efficiency and user-friendliness is crucial,” Bianco says. “As a physician-scientist and administrator, I’ve worked on both sides of this equation for years, and I believe I am well-positioned to support the brilliant scientists at UTMB in advancing their groundbreaking work.”
“In today’s increasingly complex research landscape, managing budgets that total hundreds of millions of dollars while ensuring efficiency and user-friendliness is crucial. As a physician-scientist and administrator, I’ve worked on both sides of this equation for years, and I believe I am well-positioned to support the brilliant scientists at UTMB in advancing their groundbreaking work.”
Bianco has published extensively in the area of thyroid hormone metabolism and action. His findings have significant clinical implications and have shaped the treatment of patients with hypothyroidism. His research career has focused on how T3 (triiodothyronine) initiates or terminates critical biological steps while maintaining relatively stable plasma levels. Most recently, his laboratory has focused on the epigenetic mechanisms of T3 action and their implication for children with congenital hypothyroidism.
His involvement with the Endocrine Society includes serving on the AECD Discussion Group (2014 – 2015); a member of the Research Affairs Core Committee (2016 – 2019), and the Annual Meeting Steering Committee (2019 – 2022); as well as serving on the editorial board of the Journal of the Endocrine Society (2016 – 2019).
“I have dedicated my career to studying the thyroid gland. My most recent research focuses on clinical trials and the analysis of large patient datasets and clinical outcomes,” Bianco says. “I have also placed a strong emphasis on bioinformatics, epigenetics, and the impact of 3D chromatin modifications by thyroid hormones. My goal is to streamline access to these advanced tools at UTMB, ensuring that our scientists and physician-scientists remain at the forefront of health sciences research.”
Bianco will also serve as faculty in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, holding the Nelda C. and H. J. Lutcher Stark Distinguished Chair in Internal Medicine.
Read a Q&A with Bianco about his book Rethinking Hypothyroidism.
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