CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) — The University of Virginia’s Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology has named Mark Weathers as its first-ever chief operating officer, the institute announced this week.

“We had launched a pretty large and extensive national search to identify the ideal candidate,” chief scientific officer and head of the institute Mark Esser told Cville Right Now, “and happy to report the best candidate was right here at UVA.”

Weathers will be joining the institute on Dec. 29 after serving as chief of staff for the UVA School of Medicine since 2022 and has previously helped School of Medicine and health system leadership with the selection of architecture and construction firms for the institute. Esser said Weathers, who is a civil engineer by training, was actually involved in helping design the institute’s upcoming 350,000 square foot facility at Fontaine Research Park, which is set to open in 2027.

“The fact he’s been there really from the beginning is a huge advantage,” Esser said, “and also leaning on his engineering background will come into play.”

Before coming to UVA, Weather capped off a 28-year career in the Army at the U.S. Military Academy, serving as its chief operating officer from 2018-19 then its chief of staff from 2019-22. Esser cited his military experience as a plus, calling him “both a thinker and a doer.”

With the institute, Weathers will be in charge of ensuring the institute stays in compliance with state and federal requirements while working with regulatory agencies like OSHA and the Food and Drug Administration. He’ll also oversee the annual operating and financial planning and management efforts, and, most importantly in the eyes of Esser, ensure the institute is “a great polace to work and belong.”

“He’s done it many times in the military and most recently here in the School of Medicine,” Esser said.

While its facility is still over a year away from opening, the institute is currently operating virtually and is already in the process of making key discoveries. Just last week, researchers announced they had discovered how and why traumatic brain injuries increase the risk for Alzheimer’s and how it could possibly be prevented.

This all comes as the institute prepares to open its facility and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca prepares to build a new plant in Albemarle County amidst investments from Eli Lilly and Merck elsewhere in the Commonwealth. In total, Esser says the three pharmaceutical companies are investing more than $12.5 billion.

The three companies, along with the Commonwealth, have also created a $130 million education fund for biomanufacturing and biotech. Esser said the institute with soon be working with VCU, as well as Piedmont Virginia, Brightpoint and Reynolds Community College to develop the curriculum and experiential training centers. All-in-all, Esser is hoping to keep up the momentum for the institute moving forward.