Research Leadership

The Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship oversee and support all aspects of research and is organized into five administrative sections: Office of Research Administration (ORA), Research Regulation, Integrity, Security and Evaluation (2RISE), Division of Veterinary Resources (DVR), Workforce Development & USTAAR and Finance & Administration (F&A).

Maria Luisa Alcaide

Maria Luisa Alcaide

Professor

(305) 243-8434
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Dr. Alcaide is an Infectious Diseases physician scientist, faculty member of the University of Miami for over 15 years. Throughout her career as a clinician and researcher, Dr. Alcaide has provided scientific and administrative oversight to numerous multidisciplinary research studies focused on HIV and other emerging infections in the US and...
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Workforce Development and USTAAR

Workforce Development and USTAAR is a University of Miami initiative supported by the Alvarez Fund and led by Dr. Suhrud Rajguru, fostering a multidisciplinary student accelerator program within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship.

Suhrud M Rajguru

Suhrud M Rajguru

Professor

(305) 243-7946
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Suhrud Rajguru, Ph.D., is a Professor at the University of Miami, Research Health Scientist at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and founder and Chief Scientific Officer of RestorEar Devices, LLC. The NeuroTherapeutics group led by Dr. Rajguru carries out research with translational focus on characterization, diagnosis and treatment of hearing...
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Research Administration

Research Administration teams are responsible for grant and gift applications and management, the negotiation of contracts, and financial oversight of sponsored projects. These teams help researchers and scholars Submit Proposals and Conduct Research.

Laura B. Kozma

Laura B. Kozma

Assoc. VP, Research Administration

(305) 284-3965
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Laura Kozma, Associate Vice President for Research Administration, provides leadership for sponsored administration which includes proposal review and approval, contract negotiations, award management and compliance monitoring, and serves as audit liaison for the Institution for sponsored awards. In this same capacity, she is also responsible...
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K. Brandon Strickland

K. Brandon Strickland

Executive Director, Research Administration

(305) 284-3952
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Brandon Strickland serves as the Executive Director of Research Administration, Pre-Award for the University of Miami. In his position he directs all facets of Pre-Award in the Office of Research Administration, which is responsible for submission, negotiation, and award set up. Brandon has a Bachelor's in Biosystems Engineering from Auburn...
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Lionel Jesus Vera

Lionel Jesus Vera

Executive Director, Research Administration

(305) 284-4276 x1165
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Lionel Vera, Executive Director, Research Administration, provides leadership for the post award administration of all sponsored projects at UM. His role includes supporting and overseeing new grant account setup, invoicing and cash management, award management and close out, and monitoring the audit and financial compliance requirements of our...
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Research Regulation, Integrity, Security & Evaluation (2RISE)

Research Regulation, Integrity, Security & Evaluation (2RISE)

Several offices under the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship are dedicated to ensuring the integrity, safety and compliance of the sponsored programs we undertake. These professionals have a deep knowledge of regulatory requirements and know how to ensure that the end product of your work meets the highest ethical standards.

Alberto Caban-Martinez

Alberto Caban-Martinez

Professor

(305) 243-7565
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Dr. Alberto Caban-Martinez is a board-certified physician-scientist, Professor (tenured) of Public Health Sciences, Deputy Director of the MD-MPH Program, and Associate Provost for Regulatory Affairs, Assessment and Research Integrity at the University of Miami. He has over 10 years of domestic and international research expertise in...
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William Jesus Collins

William Jesus Collins

Director, Compliance

(305) 284-9558
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William J. Collins has served as the Director of Export Control Compliance for the University since March 2017 and oversees the Export Management Compliance Program.  He previously served as an Empowered Official with the Boeing Company, and was employed at NASA Kennedy Space Center as a federal civil servant and U.S. government...
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Lory Hayes

Lory Hayes, Ph.D.

Director, Compliance

(305) 243-5036
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Within the University of Miami’s (UM) Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship (OVPRS), Lory Hayes is the Director of Disclosures & Scholarly Activities Management (DSAM). DSAM reviews the relationships with external entities disclosed by UM’s Covered Persons and identifies personal conflicts of...
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Ellen Kapsalis

Ellen Kapsalis

Director, Compliance

(305) 243-2311
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As Director of Compliance for the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) and the Embryonic Stem Cell Research Oversight committee (ESCRO) under the direction of the Vice Provost for Research + Scholarship, Ellen Kapsalis provides oversight and leadership to University's research program...
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Kenia Francis Viamonte

Kenia Francis Viamonte

Director, Human Subject Research (HSRO)

(305) 243-9672
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As Director for the Human Subject Research Office (HSRO), Kenia oversees the review of human subject research studies, the regulatory team that conducts HSR reviews, the five Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and several compliance initiatives. She started at the University in 2002 at Medical Human Resources, where she was the recruiter for...
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Karrelyn Gindy Wetherington

Karrelyn Gindy Wetherington

Sr. Clinical Trial Disclosure (CTD) Associate

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Karre Wetherington is a Sr. Clinical Trial Disclosure Associate in the Regulatory Affairs and Assessment (RAA) within the Office of Vice Provost of Research and Scholarship (OVPRS) at the University of Miami. She has over 20 years of experience in sponsored research with pre and post-award administration as well as all facets of clinical...
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Jerry Engel

Jerry Engel

Quality Assurance Auditor/Research Integrity Investigator

(305) 243-4054
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Jerry Engle, JD is the Research Integrity Investigator at the University of Miami (UM) where he  has been investigating research misconduct cases since 2003. He grew up in New York, attended Emory University in Atlanta, and law school at UM. After a brief swim in the professional legal waters of Miami, he found a home at UM and the...
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Finance & Administration

The Finance & Administration team provides support on research administration systems, research reporting, education and research development. The units include Research Intellegency and Capacity, Research Strategic Operations, Research Education, Research Development, Finance and Business Operations. 

Jenne Reed

Jenne Reed

Sr. Business Officer 2 - Schools/Colleges (Central Budget) (A)

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Jenne Reed serves as the Senior Business Officer in the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship (OVPRS). With a passion for addressing strategic challenges and fostering customer-centric operations, she brings over 20 years of experience in enhancing business operations. Her expertise lies in boosting productivity, efficiency,...
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