Vice President for Research & Innovation
John Strohbehn University Distinguished Professor
Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
Jennifer Lodge, Ph.D., a professor of molecular genetics and microbiology, is Duke’s vice president for Research & Innovation.
As the university’s chief research and innovation officer, Lodge leads oversight of Duke’s $1.2 billion annual research portfolio, including grants administration, ethical practices and commercialization. Lodge works with campus and medical center research staff, faculty and trainees, and is a key figure in Duke’s connection with external partners.
Before coming to Duke in January 2022, Lodge served as vice chancellor for research and senior associate dean for research for the School of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL). There, she was responsible for WUSTL’s research development, ethics, education, compliance and research administration systems, and earned a reputation for encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship.
Lodge’s own research is on the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. Her lab has been funded continuously by NIH for more than two decades, with as many as three prestigious R01 grants at one time. Her lab in the Duke University School of Medicine continues to explore the biochemical processes by which this fungus builds its cell walls. Such knowledge could lead to new antifungal therapies and vaccines.
Lodge is a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the National Academy of Inventors. She is also the former chair of the Group on Research at the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC).