Sharito Isern

Dr. Sharito (Sharon) Isern is Dean of Faculty Affairs at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), with a career spanning scientific leadership across academia, federal research administration, and industry. She previously served as a Scientific Review Officer at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she led national peer review for the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (DP2), a flagship high-risk, high-reward research program, contributing to funding decisions that shape the U.S. biomedical research portfolio. 

Dr. Isern has held faculty appointments in virology and immunology and has secured over $9 million in competitive research funding. Her work has also contributed to national science education initiatives through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Prior to academia, she worked in industry as a chemical engineer, including roles at Exxon and Procter & Gamble.

She brings a leadership approach grounded in scientific rigor, sound judgment, and a strong commitment to advancing faculty excellence.

She holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. She is also a community theatre performer and visual artist.