Dr. Bernard Arulanandam is Tufts University Vice Provost for Research, where he oversees the Tufts research enterprise. As the Chief Research Officer, Dr. Arulanandam helps set the strategic vision and directs key regulatory areas for research at Tufts. Dr. Arulanandam is a strong advocate for building multidisciplinary research efforts and promoting a vibrant and inclusive innovation ecosystem to ensure Tufts’ eminence as a research-intensive institution within the Association of American Universities. In his role, Dr. Arulanandam spearheads strategic partnerships with key organizations that complement Tufts’ strengths, and partners with university leadership to advance institutional research goals and reputation as a research-intensive institution with defined capabilities and with a deep commitment towards societal impact.

As an established Immunologist, Dr. Arulanandam holds an appointment as Professor of Immunology at the Tufts University School of Medicine. His research focuses on elucidating host-microbial interactions and the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the induction of immune responses against infectious diseases. His work has provided new insights into the development of vaccines against Chlamydia trachomatis, the leading cause of sexually transmitted bacterial disease and the creation of a potential live attenuated vaccine against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii identified as an important nosocomial pathogen.

Dr. Arulanandam was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and received the Fulbright International Education Administrator Award in 2016. In 2017, Dr. Arulanandam was elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology (AAM). Most recently, he was inducted as a fellow to the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) in 2019.

Dr. Arulanandam obtained a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology at the Medical College of Ohio and received a postdoctoral fellowship at the Albany Medical College in New York and an executive M.B.A. at The University of Texas at San Antonio.