Our Team
Mission
The Office of the Senior Vice President for Research & Biotechnology is committed to driving the University’s research enterprise by fostering innovation, interdisciplinary research, collaborations, and academic excellence. We work closely with faculty, staff, and partners to support research at every stage, empowering our scholars to push the frontiers of knowledge.
Our office plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of research at WesternU. Through strategic leadership, we aim to position our institution at the cutting edge of discovery and expand our recognition both nationally and internationally.
We recognize the transformative impact of research on the University’s core activities and strive to embed it into the academic experience. By integrating research with education, we provide a dynamic, enriching experience that is uniquely WesternU.
Andrea Giuffrida, Ph.D, MBA Senior Vice President, Office of Research and Biotechnology
Prior to joining WesternU, Dr. Giuffrida held several leadership positions at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, including Vice President for Research and Vice President for Strategic Industry Ventures. Under his leadership, the institution established new research centers, its first biobank, and launched a Bioscience Accelerator. In 2011, he served as an AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow in the Office of Science Policy at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) working on the regulatory science of biomedical products, drug development and the NIH biannual report to Congress.
As a scientist, Dr. Giuffrida has provided important breakthroughs to the neuropharmacology of the cannabinoid system and its role in neurodegenerative and psychomotor disorders.
Throughout his career, he has served on the boards of not-for-profit organizations and startups, and played a crucial role in advancing research development, biomedical science training programs, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Dr. Giuffrida earned his PhD from the University of Catania, Italy, in 1992 and completed his Executive MBA at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) in 2022.
Susan Dominguez
Director of Operations
Matthew Katz, MHA
Assistant Vice President for Sponsored Programs and Contracts Management
Director, Post-Award & Grant Accounting
Jennifer Baker
Director of Research Regulatory Affairs and Compliance
Brandon Lownds, JD
Director of Research Outreach
Elizabeth Taylor-Diaz
Director of Institutional Core Facilities
Rafael Perez
Director of Animal Resources
Marissa Saenz, DVM, Ph.D
Attending Veterinarian
Fanglong (Frank) Dong
Director of Biostatistics
Office of Technology Transfer
Manager, Grants and Contracts, Pre-Award and Compliance