Richard M. Niles has been appointed department head and professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences.

Niles comes to UConn from Marshall University in Huntington, W.V., where he had been professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Niles' research focuses on cancer and nutrition, with specific emphasis on the role of Vitamin A in cancer.

After receiving a bachelor's degree in biology from Rhode Island College, Niles earned his master's degree from the University of New Hampshire and his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts. His post-doctoral and research appointments were at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester and the Institute for Cancer Research in Philadelphia. He has held an academic appointment at Boston University's School of Medicine and has been a visiting scientist at Harvard University's Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Along with his administrative duties, Niles plans to continue with his research and remain active in teaching.

He and his wife, Elizabeth, will make their home in the Storrs area. They have two adult sons.

DP