Longtime University School of Veterinary Medicine professor and researcher Gus Kousoulas has been named associate vice chancellor of research and economic development.
Kousoulas will be in charge of securing funding for large research projects for the departments under his supervision, said K. T. Valsaraj, the other vice chancellor of research and economic development.
As one of two associate vice chancellors, Kousoulas’ work will focus on disciplines relating to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Valsaraj said Kousoulas would be working mainly with the Colleges of Science, Engineering, Coast and Environment and the School of Veterinary Medicine.
Valsaraj said Kousoulas’ extensive research experience gives him an understanding of the funding process and qualifies him for the position. When searching for a candidate for the position, the  Office of Research and Economic Development considered scientific experience to be the most important factor.
“Gus has been the lead researcher on a number of large research grants,” Valsaraj said. “He has a very large profile.”
Valsaraj said Kousoulas’ position has been vacant since July 1, when Valsaraj was promoted from associate vice chancellor to vice chancellor.
Kousoulas is currently a professor of virology and biotechnology at the School of Veterinary Medicine. Valsaraj said biology, biotechnology and biomedicine will be the subject of a heavy push for funding as part of ORED’s strategic research plan.
Valsaraj said promoting biomedical research will assist the University in obtaining research funding from the National Institutes of Health, which is among the largest funders of scientific research at universities. The University has not done enough to maximize its funding from the NIH in recent years, Valsaraj said.
ORED is currently attempting to garner funding from the National Science Foundation to research methods for the protection and use of biomedical data, Valsaraj said. The project would be run by researchers from the College of Science working with the Center for Computation and Technology, Valsaraj said.
Valsaraj said this exemplifies the type of interdisciplinary project ORED wants to promote.
“You’d be surprised how many STEM projects end up working with the College of Arts and Sciences,” Valsaraj said.
Kousoulas joined the University in 1988 before becoming a full professor in 1994, and he has held appointments or professorships in various colleges and departments across the LSU System.
In addition to his current professorship with the School of Veterinary Medicine, Kousoulas has held adjunct appointments with the Departments of Biological Sciences and Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology as well as with the Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.
He is also the lead researcher for the Center for Experimental Infectious Disease Research, a joint research venture between LSU and Tulane. With the CIED, his research has focused on developing new methods to use viruses to fight cancer.