Kenneth Hunter, Sc.D., has been named chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. He will assume his new role on November 1 for a period of two years.

Hunter, an immunologist and microbiologist, has been with UNR since 1989 when he arrived to assume the position of vice president for research and dean of the graduate school. He held that position for 11 years before assuming the full-time position of professor of microbiology and immunology at the School of Medicine in 2001.

“I am very secure that Ken is an excellent chair through our current (financially) difficult times,” said Ole J. Thienhaus, M.D., MBA, dean of the School of Medicine. “I am also pleased that departmental faculty, in a serious and thorough group process, have expressed their confidence in Ken as the new chair.”

Working with numerous post-graduate, graduate and undergraduate students in his laboratory, Hunter’s eclectic research work focuses on infectious diseases, cancer and neuro-immune diseases such as muscular sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome and autism while his teaching responsibilities include instructing immunology and parasitology to second year medical students.

Hunter will lead the department during these austere fiscal times as it seeks to hire new faculty.

He replaces cancer researcher William Murphy, Ph.D., who takes a new position with the University of California at Davis.