openRxiv names Dr. Tracy Teal first CEO to advance open science

Scientist and nonprofit leader who previously led The Carpentries and Dryad to lead the organization that oversees bioRxiv and medRxiv.

DAVIS, Calif., Aug. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — openRxiv announced today that after an extensive international search, its Board of Directors has appointed Dr. Tracy Teal as the organization’s inaugural CEO. Dr. Teal has served as interim COO of openRxiv since its launch as an independent non-profit in March of this year, playing a central role in launching the organization and establishing its stewardship of bioRxiv and medRxiv, two of the world’s most widely used preprint servers.

“Dr. Teal’s appointment recognizes her exceptional contributions to openRxiv’s launch and early growth,” said Dr. John Inglis, co-founder of bioRxiv and medRxiv and Chair of openRxiv’s Science and Medical Advisory Board. “Her experience as a scientist, educator, fundraiser, and nonprofit leader has earned the trust of the entire preprint team, and her character and skills make her uniquely qualified to guide openRxiv in advancing open science on a global scale.”

Speaking on behalf of the Board of Directors, Professor Harlan Krumholz, of Yale University Medical School and a co-founder of medRxiv, said, “This is an auspicious time for preprints and an exciting moment to transform medical publishing, and Dr. Tracy Teal is an exceptional choice to lead openRxiv. She is creative, collaborative, and deeply committed to open-source ecosystems, and she will propel the organization to new heights in serving scientists and the public.”

A scientist first 
Dr. Teal began her academic career at UCLA, earning a master’s degree in biology, and completed a Ph.D. in Computation and Neural Systems at Caltech, focusing on bioinformatics at the intersection of data science and biology. As an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, she integrated computational tools into biological research and mentoring.

Leadership in open science 
Recognizing the growing importance of data skills for researchers, Dr. Teal co-founded Data Carpentry and in 2015 became Executive Director of The Carpentries, transforming a community initiative into a sustainable organization that delivers data and computational training to researchers in more than 60 countries. She later served as Executive Director of Dryad and as Open Source Program Director at RStudio/Posit, strengthening governance, revenue models, and inclusive community practices across the open science ecosystem.

“Dr. Teal brings a wealth of experience in open science and nonprofit leadership to openRxiv,” said Dr. Richard Sever, co-founder of bioRxiv and medRxiv and Chief Science and Strategy Officer at openRxiv. “She understands the values that drive our work and will ensure we remain independent, sustainable, and focused on serving the scientific community.”

Continuity with momentum 
As interim COO, Dr. Teal worked closely with founders, leadership, and partners to ensure a smooth transition of the preprint servers from their origins at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to an independent nonprofit. As CEO, she will focus on strengthening platforms that millions of researchers rely on to share work openly and rapidly, including enhancing infrastructure, fostering interoperability with scholarly systems, and building partnerships that broaden the reach and impact of preprints.

See more about Dr. Teal by reading the full announcement on the blog.

About openRxiv
openRxiv is an independent, nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) established to steward bioRxiv and medRxiv, the premier preprint servers for life science and health research. Committed to rapid, open scientific sharing, openRxiv ensures that researchers worldwide can disseminate their findings quickly and transparently, advancing communication at the speed of science. For more information, please visit openrxiv.org.

For more information or to set up an interview, please contact:
Jamie Grabert
jgrabert@theconsultancygroup.co
510-575-9555

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