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LAFAYETTE–  The �ǿ����޴�ý announced this week that Dr. James Blanchard has been named acting director of the New Iberia Research Center.

Blanchard has 28 years of primate medicine and surgery experience. He earned his bachelor’s degree in microbiology from �ǿ����޴�ý Lafayette in 1974. He also holds a master’s degree in parasitology and a veterinary medicine degree from Louisiana State University and a doctorate in pathology/parasitology from Washington State University.

Since 1984, Blanchard has worked at the Tulane National Primate Research Center in Covington, La. He is head of the Clinical and Research Medicine unit and coordinates the administration and veterinary aspects of numerous National Institutes of Health-funded studies. He is a diplomate of the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine.

Blanchard succeeds Dr. Jeff Rowell, who announced his retirement from �ǿ����޴�ý Lafayette effective Aug. 11 and is on leave through that date. Rowell worked at �ǿ����޴�ý Lafayette for 23 years, having served as associate director and more recently as director of NIRC.

“Dr. Blanchard is basically on loan to �ǿ����޴�ý Lafayette from Tulane University for six months,” said Dr. Robert Twilley, vice president of Research at �ǿ����޴�ý Lafayette. “We welcome an alumnus of his caliber to help guide the animal care and research proficiencies of the center, as well as help us search for a new director.”

Blanchard will serve in the temporary role at �ǿ����޴�ý Lafayette through Dec. 31, and then will return to full-time employment at Tulane.

�ǿ����޴�ý Lafayette is launching a national search for a new primate center director. Twilley, who announced last month that he will leave �ǿ����޴�ý Lafayette on Aug. 10 to become executive director of the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program, will continue to serve on the search committee to find a new NIRC director.