Media Contact: Jan Jennings, (858) 822-1684, jnjennings@ucsd.edu

A research scientist/administrator with key experience bridging bioscience and computer/information science – or bioinformatics – and mapping the genetic makeup of the human body, has become an integral part of San Diego’s science, research and high tech community.

John Wooley, deputy associate director in the Office of Science in the U.S. Department of Energy, has been appointed associate vice chancellor for research at the University of California, San Diego.

Mark Ellisman, director of UCSD’s Center for Research in Biological Structure and a leader in bioinformatics developments, said the recruitment of Wooley is a major step in reinforcing UCSD’s international leadership in bioinformatics.

"It is well recognized that biology is the most rapidly growing discipline of this and the next century," Ellisman said, "and that the enabling technology for biology and bioscience is information – how to deal with large and complex amounts of information. UCSD has put a big stake in the ground to be the premier institution for all underlying science and technology in this area of bioinformatics. The addition of Dr. Wooley intensifies our efforts and our resolve. "

Ellisman said Wooley is eminently recognized for his scientific contributions in the area as well as for his ability "to integrate diverse groups to achieve great things," underscoring UCSD’s interdisciplinary tradition, and is "a visionary in government," focusing NIH, NSF and Department of Energy programs on information problems faced by researchers.

UCSD Chancellor Robert Dynes, in announcing Wooley’s appointment, said Wooley’s umbrella focus as associate vice chancellor for research will be to provide leadership in

developing and implementing new research and training programs in UCSD’s science and engineering disciplines.

Wooley will report directly to Richard Attiyeh, UCSD vice chancellor for research, who praised Wooley’s broad experience in academia and government. "Because his interests cut across traditional disciplinary boundaries, he will be a valuable contributor to bioinformatics, other areas of computational science, environmental science and policy, and materials science."

Wooley also will work on initiatives in genomics – the blueprinting of the genetic makeup of the human body – and environmental science. He will work with faculty members at the School of Medicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and UCSD’s main campus, including the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) where focus will include development of a computational science degree program.

As deputy associate director in the Office of Science in the Department of Energy, Wooley was responsible for biological and environmental sciences, overseeing biotechnology, molecular and cell biology, the health effects of radiation and energy production, molecular nuclear medicine, and climate research change. He coordinated major aspects of the human genome project, including bioinformatics, and led efforts in developing programs for microbial genomes and computational structural biology.

Prior to his work with the Department of Energy, Wooley was the director of the Division of Infrastructure and Resources for the Biological Sciences Directorate at the National Science Foundation, a division that he founded and that manages all interdisciplinary biology research and training programs funded by the NSF. For his role in advocating, establishing, and leading the Biological Instrumentation Facilities and the Biological Research Centers, Wooley received NSF’s top performance award, "NSF Superior Accomplishment."

Wooley received his bachelor’s degree cum laude in physics, chemistry and biochemistry from Michigan State University and his Ph.D. in biophysics from the University of Chicago. From 1992 to the present he also has served as research associate professor of biophysics at Johns Hopkins Medical School. He is a member of numerous professional scientific societies.