Our Leadership

Dr. Karanfil was appointed vice president for research at Clemson University in February 2016 to steer the university’s research strategy, working closely with faculty and staff at Clemson and with collaborators in industry and the community. He was named senior vice president for research, scholarship and creative endeavors in 2023. Clemson joined the list of the nation’s top research universities as a Carnegie R1 university in 2016, a reflection of its growth in research expenditures across disciplines and increases to the number of doctorate degrees awarded and postdoctoral and non-faculty researchers on staff. Clemson’s performance across all of Carnegie’s metrics have improved under Dr. Karanfil’s leadership since receiving the R1 designation, and Clemson’s R1 classification was reconfirmed in 2018 and again in 2021. Total research and development expenditures have risen sharply and are at their highest levels of at least the past decade at $263 million in 2022.

In addition to serving as Senior Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors, Dr. Karanfil serves and represents Clemson University on several boards and committees (Battelle Savannah River Alliance, SC Smart-State Endowed Chair, SC EPSCoR, Clemson University Research Foundation, South Carolina Research Authority, South Carolina Universities Research and Education Foundation, Southeastern Universities Research Association, and Oak Ridge Associated Universities). Before his current position, Dr. Karanfil served as chair of the environmental engineering and earth sciences department and later as associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences. He currently maintains an active research portfolio as well, focusing on water quality and improvements to water, wastewater and hazardous waste treatment systems.

Angie Leidinger is a senior executive at Clemson University, serving in two key roles.  As Vice President for External Affairs, she is responsible for Clemson’s state and federal governmental relations programs and coordinates Clemson’s work with industry to strengthen the university’s economic and industry engagement. As Senior Advisor to the Board of Trustees, she supports the work of the board and facilitates relationships and information sharing with administrators, faculty, staff and students. Leidinger earned a bachelor’s degree in graphics communication from Clemson in 1990 and joined the University in 2002 as Executive Director of Governmental Affairs. She previously worked in government relations at the S.C. Department of Commerce and in the private sector.

Dr. Jeremy Mercuri is the John Witherspoon Gilpin MD ’82 Endowed Associate Professor of Bioengineering at Clemson University. He is also Director of the Laboratory of Orthopaedic Tissue Regeneration and Orthobiologics and is Deputy Director of the Clemson University Biomedical Engineering Innovation Campus (CUBEInC). 

Dr. Mercuri received his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from Drexel University in 2003. He completed his Master’s and PhD in Bioengineering at Clemson University in 2006 and 2011, respectively. Following his doctoral work, Dr. Mercuri obtained a clinical post-doctoral fellowship at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic of the Carolinas in Greenville, South Carolina. Prior to his current academic appointment, Dr. Mercuri spent several years as a senior research engineer in the medical device industry working in the areas of biomechanical testing and biomaterials development for Medtronic Spine & Biologics and Stryker Orthobiologics, respectively. Dr. Mercuri currently serves as
the Chief Scientific Officer for Samaritan Biologics, LLC and is the founder and Chief Scientific Officer of NovaVia Spine & Biologics, LLC.

Dr. Mercuri’s academic research program focuses on developing biomimetic extracellular matrix (ECM)-based scaffolds designed for the repair and regeneration of herniated intervertebral discs, osteochondral defects, and damaged rotator cuff tendons. Dr. Mercuri’s lab also evaluates the efficacy of different mesenchymal stem cell sources as therapies for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions by employing both in vitro and in vivo models.

Jeff Broomfield served as Head of Strategy & Strategic Projects for the Smart Infrastructure operating company of Siemens USA, where he was responsible for leading strategic planning activities, developing division-level strategic marketing programs, driving strategic disruption evaluations and activities, and being an executive ambassador for Siemens in both external and internal collaboration endeavors.  Broomfield earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Clemson University and had a progressive 30-year career with Siemens including assignments in engineering, product management, sales, business development, marketing, and strategy.  Relative to Clemson University, he currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Clemson University Research Foundation (CURF) and on the External Board of Advocates for the Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.  He previously served as an inaugural member on the Clemson University Industry Advisory Board, as a sponsoring industry advisor for the Center for Advanced Power Engineering Research (CAPER), and as the executive focal for Siemens corporate partnership with Clemson University.

Dr. Leslie Hossfeld was named Dean of the College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences at Clemson University (CBSHS) in July 2018 where she has worked to create the Building Healthy Communities initiative for CBSHS that brings together the college’s seven disciplines to address critical needs in the 46 counties of South Carolina through research, teaching and service, and the land grant mission. Dean Hossfeld has prioritized research ascension for the college increasing research awards from $4 million in 2018 to $20 million in 2023.

Prior to joining Clemson University, Dr. Hossfeld was Professor and Head of the Department of Sociology, Criminology and Social Work at Mississippi State University (MSU) leading interdisciplinary research focused on improving the lives of rural Mississippians.  Before joining MSU she was Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington where she worked extensively in rural economic development serving on several national and state economic development boards, and in
elected national leadership positions in the profession. She has also made more than 150 research presentations in various national and international conferences in addition to over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, books, technical reports, white papers, and research briefs. She maintains an active research portfolio focused on community and economic development, food and nutrition security, and rural health disparities.

Tom is a Founder and Partner of Fulcrum Equity Partners, an Atlanta based private equity firm focused on healthcare and technology investments.  He has over 20 years of investment, financial and operating experience. Mr. Greer was the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Regency Healthcare, Inc. (“Regency”) a provider of hospice services throughout the Southeast. In 2006 Tom recapitalized Regency with EDG Partners, an Atlanta-based private equity firm. Tom then served as Chairman of the Board at the successor to Regency, Regency Healthcare Group, LLC, up until the sale of Regency to GTCR in April 2011. Prior to Regency he was a Vice President in the healthcare investment banking group at Robinson Humphrey.