James H. Wyche '65, a cell and molecular biologist, cancer researcher and university administrator, has been named provost and chief academic officer at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Wyche earned his undergraduate degree in microbiology at Cornell and his Ph.D. in biology at Johns Hopkins University in 1972. His research and academic career spans four decades and includes appointments as vice provost for academic affairs and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (2005-07);vice provost, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and professor of biology and molecular pharmacology in the Medical School at the University of Miami (2002-05); and associate provost and professor of medical science at Brown University (1987-2001). During the 2001-02 academic year, Wyche served as interim president of Tougaloo College in Jackson, Miss.

He is a co-creator and former executive director (1991-2001) of The Leadership Alliance, which advances underrepresented students and minority faculty development at more than 20 member institutions. Most recently Wyche has worked on developing drugs for pancreatic cancer and served as division director of human resource development in the Education and Human Resources Directorate at the National Science Foundation.