H. Joseph Yost, Ph.D. Appointed Senior Vice Provost for Research
April 23 2024 - 9:40AM
A world-renowned scientist and researcher, H. Joseph Yost, Ph.D.
has been appointed to the newly created position of senior vice
provost for research at The Catholic University of America, where
he will lead efforts to expand the University’s research
capabilities and build upon the rich research tradition of the
137-year-old institution.
Yost is coming to Catholic University from the University of
Utah School of Medicine bringing more than three decades of
teaching and research experience. He is currently the Richard L.
Stimson presidential endowed chair, vice chairman for basic science
research in the department of pediatrics, and professor of
neurobiology and anatomy. He was previously an associate professor
of cell biology and neuroanatomy at the University Minnesota.
“Joe Yost is an accomplished teacher and researcher whose work
has led to amazing discoveries that will lead people to leading
better lives,” said Catholic University President Peter Kilpatrick.
“He will be an indispensable part of my leadership team, forging
new paths for research and discovery at the University.”
In coming to Catholic University, Yost will be joining the
second oldest research university in the United States and the
oldest Catholic research university in the nation. As a stated goal
of Kilpatrick’s strategic plan, Yost will be charged with elevating
the University to Carnegie R1 status from its current R2 status. He
will also be an ordinary professor of biology (ad interim).
Yost will begin his new position in August 2024 and will be part
of the president’s cabinet.
“I am honored and deeply grateful for the opportunity to help
build The Catholic University of America to a top tier research
university. I look forward to serving on the leadership team and
joining the vibrant community of scholars at Catholic University
who are searching for and discovering truth in every field of
knowledge. I am committed to promoting research and scholarship
across all disciplines and enhancing Catholic education for the
next generation.”
In his work as a researcher, he is focused on the intersection
between model organism embryology, genetics and the discovery of
novel disease-causing mutations in human genomes, focusing on
congenital heart disease (CHD), embryonic origins of adult-onset
heart disease, and pediatric rare diseases such as Kabuki Syndrome.
His long-term work includes building and deploying national
databases and developing bioinformatics tools that are disease
agnostic and species agnostic. He also has experience in a variety
of life sciences research approaches and model organisms, including
zebrafish, Xenopus, mice, Drosophila, yeast, human iPSC cell
culture and human genetics.
Yost is also a committed teacher, serving as a mentor to
students and faculty, promoting research that is relevant to
children’s health, and building bridges between basic and clinical
sciences. He has also supported the mentoring of the next
generation of biomedical scientists, with a focus on trainees who
come from underrepresented groups. His former students and trainees
are leaders of their own research teams as tenured or tenure-track
faculty, or pursuing successful careers in medicine, biotechnology,
public policy or law.
During his time at the University of Utah, Yost received
numerous awards including the Gary C. Schoenwolf Mentoring Award,
Distinguished Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Mentoring Award,
Henry Gray Scientific Achievement Award from the American
Association of Anatomy, and the American Heart Association’s “Heart
of Gold” Award. He is an inaugural member of the Society for
Developmental Biology Academy and a Fellow of the American
Association for Anatomy. His recent election as Fellow of the
American Association for the Advancement for Science (AAAS) cites
“distinguished contributions by an exceptional individual who
possesses a unique combination of research expertise, leadership
skills, and a dedication to mentoring the next generation of
scientists.”
Yost earned his Ph.D. in genetics from the University of Chicago
and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California,
Berkeley. He received his bachelor of science degree in biology and
in the honors program at Creighton University.
Yost’s wife, Maureen Condic, Ph.D. will be joining the
University as Faculty Ombudsman and Mediator. As a distinguished
ordinary professor (ad interim), Dr. Condic will build programs in
campus-wide interdisciplinary teaching. Condic, who is currently on
the neurobiology faculty and Ombudsman at the University of Utah,
and member of the National Science Board, will be charged with
providing faculty guidance on policies, rules, and laws pertaining
to their positions as well as advising the University's
administration on faculty trends. She will also handle, when
necessary, mediations with faculty members, students and the
University’s administration.
- H. Joseph Yost, Ph.D. Appointed Senior Vice Provost for
Research at The Catholic University of America
Nicole Germain
The Catholic University of America
443-540-3121
germainn@cua.edu