"This is the most important single administrative initiative that we are going to undertake in the next few years," said David Bray, executive dean for administration. "We've got to find new and creative ways to help faculty find resources at a time when commitment from public sources is at best questionable."

The school's current research budget is approximately $100 million; a little more than half of this funding comes from the federal government. The remainder comes from corporate sources, foundations and private philanthropy. With government funding becoming increasingly difficult to obtain, the school created the position to strengthen its ability to secure financial support from industry and private donors.

As administrative dean for research, Carter will coordinate the two offices currently responsible for research affairs, the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration, and the Office of Technology Licensing and Industry-Sponsored Research. Previously, these two offices reported to different parts of the school's administration; the creation of the dean's post will help bring a better coordination to their efforts, Bray said.

"The operations were diffuse," he said. "And the idea was, 'If we bring them together and put a focus on this effort, couldn't we do a little better?' It's not that we aren't doing okay, but can we do better?"

In its search to fill the position, the school sought to find someone with an unusual mix of experience: a solid background as a research scientist along with administrative experience, preferably in industry. In addition, the school wanted to find someone with entrepreneurial skills, Bray said.

After earning a Ph.D. in molecular, cellular and developmental biology from Iowa State University, Carter spent more than a decade as a basic researcher. He did postdoctoral research at the Yale University School of Medicine, and then went to the National Cancer Institute, where he led a team of scientists seeking to develop an HIV vaccine. He was recruited by Glaxo in 1988, where he directed the company's virology and antisense research programs. From 1992 to the present, he led Glaxo's efforts to establish research alliances in the United States and abroad.

"I was using my science background to translate basic research ideas and develop them into commercial opportunities," he said.

In addition to coordinating the efforts of the school's two research-affairs offices, Carter will work with the Office of Resource Development to develop marketing programs for courting industry and private foundations. He will be expected to develop financial support for interdisciplinary research, and for broad initiatives such as the Harvard Institute for Human Genetics and the Initiative for Mind, Brain and Behavior.

The position, Carter said, "offers a lot of opportunity and new challenges. Specifically, how do you use and develop the extraordinary technology and science being developed here at the Quad and at the affiliates? I want to become part of that effort."