On August 1, Dr. Andrew Hoffman became Penn Vet’s 13th dean, assuming the mantle from Dr. Joan Hendricks upon her 2018 retirement.
An acclaimed researcher, clinician, teacher, and mentor, Hoffman served since 2012 as Director of the Regenerative Medicine Laboratory and Professor of Large Animal Internal Medicine at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University before coming to Penn Vet.
“Andy’s career,” said Penn President Amy Gutmann, “exemplifies the enormous potential of an integrated One Health approach to biomedicine: uniting clinicians and scientists from multiple professions and perspectives to increase knowledge and drive improvements in global public health, human and animal well-being, and environmental sustainability and resilience.”
“He has a long and distinguished track record and an exciting vision for the role of veterinarians and veterinary schools in research universities and society,” she continued.
At Tufts, Hoffman energetically contributed to all areas of veterinary research, teaching, and clinical care. His leadership of regenerative medicine and stem cell research programs resulted in important contributions to both animal and human health, demonstrating the profoundly positive impact of veterinary research. He regularly mentored faculty with an interest in clinical translational research and helped colleagues fully appreciate the career options available to them thanks to the versatile skills provided by a veterinary education.
Hoffman helped build and lead Tufts’ first outpatient pulmonary function testing laboratory for equine and canine patients in the world, which provided world-class care for animal patients while also making important contributions in developing animal models of human pulmonary disease. The ongoing revolution in the treatment of severe human emphysema — increasing length and quality of life for patients and decreasing the morbidity and mortality of lung volume reduction treatment — traces in part to the work of Hoffman and his colleagues.
From 2005 to 2012, he served as director of the Stem Cell Laboratory. Additionally, he led the Tufts Lung Function Laboratory for more than 20 years and served for five years as director of the Tufts Equine Sports Medicine Program.
The Wilmington, Delaware, native has significant clinical experience in large animal (dairy- equine) practice and caring for and investigating a diversity of animals, including dogs, cats, horses, sheep, camelids, rodents, dolphins, and wildlife.
Hoffman, his wife Dr. Julie Ellis, and their two children, moved to the Philadelphia area in mid-summer. Ellis is an expert in wildlife health and has joined Penn Vet’s faculty. She directs the Northeast Wildlife Disease Cooperative and will bring the cooperative to Penn Vet, where she’ll study different aspects of wildlife health and biosecurity.
Dean Hoffman shakes hands with Carla Chieffo, V’86, PhD (GR’98), at a recent Dean’s Alumni Council meeting.