The Office of Research at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is pleased to announce the appointment of Brenda Murrell as associate vice chancellor for Research, Office of Sponsored Programs. In her new role, Murrell will oversee pre- and post-award functions, providing leadership, support and strategic direction for all sponsored research activities and administration. Her appointment is effective immediately.
Murrell has served as interim associate vice chancellor for UTHSC Sponsored Programs for the past year, while simultaneously performing her duties as director of Sponsored Programs, Proposal and Award Management, a position she took in 2017. With a team of 19, she will oversee pre- and post-award management, audit, and negotiation of contractual terms of all research agreements. Her new role also encompasses oversight, guidance, and implementation of regulatory requirements within grants administration.
Murrell brings over 28 years of experience in grant accounting and strong connections throughout the research community. She has worked at UTHSC for more than 17 years. Prior to her role as the director of Sponsored Programs, she worked with Smith and Nephew as an accounting manager and the City of Memphis as an auditor and finance manager.
“I am honored to have been given this opportunity and look forward to being a part of a such collaborative environment,” Murrell said. “The Office of Sponsored Programs team and I strive to provide exemplary service to the research community as we continue to work toward a shared vision of increasing and enhancing the research enterprise. Over the past year, our team has worked hard to navigate a higher-than-normal number of changes, both in staffing and workload. Each member has shown great dedication to maintain normal operations, an often-challenging task. I am grateful and proud of the Sponsored Programs team and our department.”
Murrell holds a BBA in Accounting from the University of Memphis, a BBA in Management from Lemoyne-Owen College, and her MBA in Finance from Christian Brothers University. She is also a Certified Internal Control Auditor.