Leader of Indiana’s life-science initiatives to run University of Michigan Health System

Dr. Ora Hirsch Pescovitz

Pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Ora Hirsch Pescovitz has been named chief executive of the University of Michigan Health System, the school announced today.

Pescovitz, currently the chief executive of Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, would also be the university’s executive vice president for medical affairs. Michigan’s board of regents will consider the nomination at its March 19 meeting.

Along with running Riley, Pescovitz leads basic and clinical research initiatives as the executive associate dean for research affairs at Indiana University School of Medicine. She’s also interim vice president for research administration at that school.

She also oversaw the Indiana Genomics Initiative and is considered a critical force in the state’s life-science projects.

Among the challenges awaiting Pescovitz in May when she would take office is running the former campus of drug-maker Pfizer, which the school purchased in December. She’ll also oversee the entire U-M Health System, which includes 12,000 employees, a $1 billion annual budget and a medical school that receives more than $340 million in research funds a year.

“The recent decision to purchase the former campus of Pfizer Inc. presents the university with tremendous options for growth and impact in scientific research,” Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman stated in the school’s release. “The research enterprise of our Health System is vital to this expansion, and Dr. Pescovitz is an exceptional choice for advancing our scholarship and discoveries.”