Ken Burtis plans to return to teaching and research next year at the end of a six-year term as dean of the College of Biological Sciences. Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Enrique Lavernia announced last week that Burtis would be stepping down, and that a national search will begin soon for his successor.

“It has been an honor and a true pleasure serving the outstanding faculty, dedicated staff and particularly the students of the College of Biological Sciences,” Burtis said. “With such a great group of people, there can be no doubt that this college has a bright future.”

Lavernia, in his memo, said Burtis “has served the Davis campus with distinction. … The College of Biological Sciences has flourished under Ken’s leadership.”

The college is one of only a few in the country that are dedicated entirely to the study of biological sciences. As of winter 2010, enrollment stood at 5,290 undergraduates and 474 graduate students, served by more than 120 faculty members and nearly 400 staff.

Lavernia noted that Burtis has recruited several outstanding new faculty members to the college and overseen a significant rise in its research funding, despite the financial challenges that the university and college have faced in recent years. Since 2005, nonstate research expenditures managed by the dean’s office have grown by 40 percent, while state-funded expenditures have declined by 16 percent.

Lavernia said the college and the campus have benefited greatly from Burtis’ contributions as an academic leader and his strong commitment to innovative approaches to undergraduate education.

“We appreciate his service to the campus, and look forward to his continuing contributions to the teaching and research missions of the university.”

Apart from his teaching and research in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Burtis is the program director on a new $1.2 million grant to UC Davis from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to help expand research opportunities for underrepresented and disadvantaged students.

Burtis received his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at UC Davis in 1976 and worked for three years as a research associate for Professor Roy Doi.

From Davis, Burtis went to the Stanford University School of Medicine, where he earned his doctorate in biochemistry in 1985 and conducted further postdoctoral research in molecular genetics.

He joined the UC Davis faculty in 1988 as an assistant professor of genetics, and has served as chair of the Genetics Graduate Group, vice chair of the Section of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and associate director of the Genome Center.

Immediately before becoming dean of the new college, he served for six months as associate dean for Undergraduate Academic Programs in the Division of Biological Sciences.

“I have always enjoyed interacting with the terrific students at UC Davis,” Burtis said. “I look forward very much to returning to the classroom.”