UC San Francisco’s chief ethics and compliance officer (CECO), Brian Smith, JD, MBA, will retire Aug. 1 after 11 years of service to the university and health system, including more than seven years in the campus’s top compliance role.
Smith was appointed CECO in October 2019 and had served as interim since 2017. As senior associate vice chancellor for research infrastructure and operations, he serves in the Chancellor’s Cabinet.
As CECO, Smith oversees a broad portfolio that includes research integrity, conflicts of interest, regulatory support, export control and research security, and whistleblower and retaliation complaints. His office also manages internal investigations and helps ensure the university follows federal and state laws, as well as UC policies.
The power of a major research university and academic medical center to change lives and heal people is amazing. An average day here can be life-changing for others.
Brian Smith, JD, MBA
“Brian has led our ethics and compliance program with integrity, sound judgment, and a deep commitment to UCSF’s mission,” said UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood, MBBS. “Brian understands that compliance is not just about rules — it’s about creating an environment where people can do their best work with confidence and trust. I’m grateful for his steady counsel and dedicated service.”
Smith said the role of the ethics and compliance office should be to foster an institutional culture of compliance through educating the entire UCSF community.
Smith oversees key components of UCSF’s research enterprise, including human and animal research oversight, the Laboratory Animal Resource Center, research cores, and environment, health and safety. He also serves as UCSF’s research integrity officer, and as the institutional official for human subjects research and laboratory animal research.
Before coming to UCSF, Smith held leadership roles at UC San Diego and the University of Oregon. Before that, he served as an assistant general counsel at the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Smith said what he will miss most about UCSF are the people and the mission.
“The power of a major research university and academic medical center to change lives and heal people is amazing,” he said. “An average day here can be life-changing for others.”