Robert E. Kingston, PhD named as inaugural Chief Academic Officer

A message from David F.M. Brown, MD:

Dear Colleagues,

It is my pleasure to announce that Robert E. Kingston, PhD, has been named as Massachusetts General Hospital’s inaugural Chief Academic Officer, effective Jan. 1, 2023. Bob has been an integral member of the Mass General community for 37 years, the past 17 as chair of the Mass General Department of Molecular Biology and as vice chair of the Genetics Department of Harvard Medical School (HMS). In this newly established role, Bob will provide oversight, guidance, and support to both the Education and Research enterprises at Mass General.

Bob graduated from Harvard University and received a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley. During his three decades at Mass General, he has focused his research on the regulation of gene expression and the role for chromatin structure and chromatin modifying complexes in regulation. Bob has served as chair of the Mass General Executive Committee on Research and as co-chair of the Research Strategic Planning Committee, which developed the framework for what is now our Mass General Research Institute. In recognition of his illustrious and distinguished career, Bob has been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Science, National Academy of Medicine and American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Bob’s dedication and commitment to our hospital family and larger health care community, however, extends far beyond his lab. He has spent a significant portion of his career training and advising the next generation of scientists and staff. Bob played a key role in establishing our hospital’s successful Mass General Research Scholars program – aimed at supporting exceptional investigators whose research is not readily funded by the NIH or other sources. And, for more than two decades, Bob has taught and directed HMS molecular biology classes and has been program lead for the HMS Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) PhD Program, where its more than 400 students honored him – twice – with a BBS Award for Teaching. 

As we warmly welcome Bob as our first Chief Academic Officer, I also would like to express my deepest appreciation to Harry Orf, PhD, who will step down from his role as senior vice president for Mass General Research at the end of the year. Thank you, Harry, for your vast contributions during your 30 years here. You have helped us to build, shape and strengthen our “bench to bedside” approach, which has made an indelible mark on our patients’ lives and our entire hospital community.

Thank you,

David F. M. Brown, MD
Mass General President