The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute is expected to announce April 13 that it has promoted its executive vice president of scientific affairs to serve as its new president.
Dr. Kristiina Vuori, who first came to the biomedical research hub in 1992 for postdoctoral training, will assume the new role effective immediately.
She will oversee the nonprofit’s day-to-day operations, in addition to continuing to serve as the director of its cancer center, one of a select few nationwide designated by the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. John Reed will continue to serve as the institute’s CEO, with a focus on business development, philanthropy and external communications. Vuori will work to streamline the institute’s operations in San Diego, Santa Barbara and Orlando.
The institute also said Pauline Foster, native San Diegan and president of Foster Investment group, made a “substantial gift” to Sanford-Burnham to endow the Pauline and Stanley Foster Presidential Chair. In 2006, Foster pledged $5 million to create the Stanley and Pauline Foster Endowed Chair for the Dean at UC San Diego’s Rady School of Management. Foster is an active volunteer who serves on the boards of the United Jewish Federation of San Diego County and Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.
— Heather Chambers
