Rachel Hess, MD, MS, has been named the inaugural System Chief Research Officer for University of Utah Health, effective immediately. 

University of Utah Health has established the position of System Chief Research Officer (CRO) to provide strategic leadership for University of Utah Health’s research enterprise, fostering alignment, innovation, and growth across all health sciences disciplines. Reporting to the Executive Vice President for Health Sciences, the CRO will be responsible for defining the research vision, overseeing research operations, and ensuring the effective integration of basic, translational, clinical, and population science across the system. The CRO will also guide strategic investment, promote collaboration with campus and community partners, and enhance the institution’s national and international research profile. This systemwide role underscores University of Utah Health’s commitment to advancing discovery and translating science into meaningful health outcomes for patients and populations. 

“With this new role, we are positioning University of Utah Health to lead the next era of academic research and innovation,” says Bob Carter, MD, PhD, CEO and Executive Vice President for Health Sciences at University of Utah Health. “The System Chief Research Officer will help align and elevate our research mission, fostering collaboration, driving excellence, and amplifying the impact of our work locally and nationally. Rachel Hess’ leadership reflects a deep commitment to improving lives through science and strengthening the research community that makes it possible.”

Since joining University of Utah Health in 2014, Hess has held numerous leadership roles advancing research excellence and translation across the health system. She served as Associate Vice President for Research for Health Sciences, Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Science, and Chief of the Division of Health System Innovation and Research. She is the H.A. and Edna Benning Presidential Endowed Chair and Co-Principal Investigator of the University of Utah’s NIH-funded Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Awards (CTSA) program. Throughout her tenure, Hess has championed collaborative, data-driven approaches to improve population health and patient outcomes, strengthening Utah’s national reputation as a leader in clinical and translational science.

Over the course of her tenure as Associate Vice President for Research for Health Sciences, research awards across U of U Health have grown by $60M, exceeding $531M in FY25, while research proposals have increased by $500M to over $2.2B in FY25. Two new initiatives in data science and digital health have grown into integral, impactful parts of our university while another, the Center for Metabolic Health (formally the Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center), has been officially recognized as a university center. Recognition of our faculty, both in national forums and through local celebrations, has become an annual tradition. 

Hess is a board-certified internist and physician-scientist with extensive expertise in clinical research and population health. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Washington University in St. Louis and a medical degree from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Temple University Hospital and served as chief resident at the West Penn clinical campus, followed by a fellowship in general internal medicine and women’s health at the University of Pittsburgh and VA Pittsburgh Medical Center. Hess also earned a master’s of science in clinical research from the University of Pittsburgh.  

“I’m honored to take on this new system role within University of Utah Health,” Hess said. “As chief research officer, I look forward to working with our teams to accelerate discovery from the lab to the clinic, expand our research funding through philanthropic and commercial partnerships, and invest in the exceptional talent that drives our innovation. Together, we will translate research into real-world impact, improving health and transforming lives across Utah and beyond.”