MILWAUKEE – April 22, 2021 – Versiti, Inc., one of the nation’s leading blood health and research organizations, today announced the appointment of Michael Deininger, MD, PhD, as Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer and Director of the Milwaukee-based Versiti Blood Research Institute, its world-renowned blood research center.
Dr. Deininger joins Versiti after 11 years at the University of Utah/Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). He has served in its Department of Internal Medicine as Professor and Chief of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies; Senior Director of Transdisciplinary Research; and Director, Huntsman Center of Excellence in Hematologic Malignancies and Hematology. His prior experience includes a number of positions at the Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, including Chief, Hematological Malignancies Section. Dr. Deininger has extensive experience treating patients with blood cancers, including chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and myeloproliferative neoplasms, a group of blood cancers related to leukemia. He is highly published, twice being named by Thomson Reuters as among the world’s most cited researchers. He holds a degree in medicine from the University of Würzburg, Germany and a PhD from Imperial College, London.
“We are excited to have a world-renowned researcher and leader of Mike’s caliber join Versiti as our inaugural Mike and Cathy White Endowed Chair,” said Chris Miskel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Versiti. “The Versiti Blood Research Institute is known globally for research related to blood health. Given his proven scientific excellence, translational research focus, leadership experience, and clinical expertise, I am confident that Mike will take the institute to a new level. He is deeply committed to advancing scientific discovery in hematology, the science of blood in health and disease, and to translating the new knowledge into benefit for patients.
Dr. Deininger will report to Miskel and serve on Versiti’s Executive Leadership Committee. He will begin his new position on September 1.
“I am excited to join the team at Versiti and the Versiti Blood Research Institute. Leading this crown jewel of the academic medical research campus in Milwaukee and well beyond is a privilege, challenge, and mandate for excellence,” Dr. Deininger said. “From my own research work, I know that hematology connects to all fields of medicine. I have no doubt that the Institute is poised to reach new heights. We will nurture a culture where everyone in the organization is committed to rigorous scientific pursuit in a collegial environment and celebrates the sheer joy of scientific discovery and the difference we can make to patients’ lives. The sky is the limit.”
Dr. Deininger succeeds Roy Silverstein, MD, who served as interim head of the Versiti Blood Research Institute. Previously, Gilbert C. White, II, MD, led the institute from 2005-2020.
The Versiti Blood Research Institute is the research arm of Versiti. It is a state-of-the-art facility that gives investigators access to cutting-edge blood health research equipment and related specialized services. It is located on the academic medical campus of the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center, along with the Medical College of Wisconsin, Froedtert Hospital and Children’s Wisconsin.
About Versiti
Versiti, a national leader in blood health innovation, was formed with the mission to improve the health of patients and enable the success of our health care partners nationally. We provide innovative, value-added solutions in the fields of transfusion medicine, transplantation, and blood-related diseases to meet the needs of each of our customers. The collective efforts across Versiti result in improved patient outcomes, expanded access to care and cost efficiencies for health care systems nationwide. For more information, visit versiti.org.
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