UTHealth Houston names Kevin A. Morano, PhD, provost
(Photo by UTHealth Houston)
Kevin A. Morano, PhD, a distinguished scientist, educator, and academic leader at UTHealth Houston for more than 25 years, has been appointed senior vice president and provost, effective Sept. 1.
As provost, Morano will serve as the university’s chief academic officer, providing strategic leadership for academic programs, student success, faculty development, educational innovation, and academic planning across UTHealth Houston’s schools. The appointment reflects the university’s continued commitment to advancing excellence in education while strengthening leadership structures to support its growing mission.
As UTHealth Houston continues to expand its impact through education, research, and clinical care, the provost role will be instrumental in strengthening the university’s educational mission, fostering innovation in teaching and learning, and ensuring students are prepared to meet the evolving needs of healthcare and biomedical science.
Morano has most recently served as senior vice president for academic and faculty affairs, working closely with faculty leaders across the university to advance academic priorities, support faculty success, and foster a culture of excellence in education, scholarship, and service. Having served in multiple academic leadership roles, he brings a deep understanding of UTHealth Houston’s strengths, opportunities, and aspirations. In his new role, he will focus on further elevating the university’s academic enterprise and preparing the next generation of health professionals.
“Dr. Morano is a deeply respected leader, educator, and scientist who understands what makes an academic health institution thrive,” said Melina R. Kibbe, MD, president of UTHealth Houston and Alkek-Williams Distinguished Chair. “His experience and deep understanding of our university make him exceptionally well positioned to serve as provost. In his role, he will help shape the future of education at UTHealth Houston, strengthen connections across our schools and programs, and create new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.”
The appointment comes as UTHealth Houston continues to expand academic opportunities, strengthen interprofessional education, and align resources to support its strategic priorities.
Morano has built a distinguished career advancing both biomedical research and graduate education. He is a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at McGovern Medical School and a faculty member of UT MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. His research has focused on understanding how cells maintain healthy proteins during environmental and disease-related stress, including conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and ALS.
His commitment to academic excellence extends well beyond the laboratory. Morano has championed education, mentorship, and faculty development initiatives that support recruitment, advancement, mentoring, and professional growth across the university while helping prepare the next generation of scientists and health professionals.
A two-time recipient of the John P. McGovern Teaching Award and recipient of the Paul E. Darlington Mentor Award, Morano has been recognized for his dedication to teaching and mentorship. His many honors also include The University of Texas System Board of Regents’ Outstanding Teacher Award, the Minnie Stevens Piper Professor Award, and election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
“I’m deeply honored by the opportunity to contribute in an even greater way to the continued success of UTHealth Houston as we begin an exciting new chapter in our history,” Morano said. “This institution has been my academic home for most of my professional life, and the people who make it special are far more than colleagues—they are family. It is a privilege to continue serving this remarkable community and to play a role in what comes next.”
Morano joined UTHealth Houston in 2000 as an assistant professor and has spent the past quarter century advancing the institution’s missions through research, education, mentorship, and leadership. A native Californian, he earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of California, Irvine, and a doctorate in microbiology from the University of California, Davis. He completed postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan before beginning his career at UTHealth Houston.
“Kevin has earned the trust and admiration of faculty, students, and institutional leaders through his collaborative leadership style, strategic vision, and genuine investment in the success of others,” Kibbe said. “His dedication to academic excellence and faculty success has helped shape the university we are today, and I am excited and confident to partner with him as we continue building an even stronger future for the UTHealth Houston family and the communities we serve.”
