Dr. Howard Federoff named UC Irvine vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of medicine
Georgetown executive vice president and dean will provide vision, direction for campus’s health enterprise
March 11, 2015
Dr. Howard Federoff — a nationally renowned clinical and research leader at Georgetown University and a groundbreaking investigator for neurological disorders — will join UC Irvine as vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine.
In this position, Federoff will oversee and guide the development of UCI Health. In addition to leading the School of Medicine, he will provide strategic direction for the clinical programs of UC Irvine Medical Center and all affiliated patient care centers and will ensure the alignment of the clinical enterprise and the physicians’ practice plan with the university’s academic and research missions.
Federoff also will provide guidance on the development and integration of UC Irvine's health-related academic programs in nursing science, public health and pharmaceutical sciences. He begins July 1.
At Georgetown, Federoff is executive vice president for health sciences and executive dean of the School of Medicine. He is responsible for advancing the educational and research missions of Georgetown University Medical Center and working effectively with the leadership of MedStar Health, its clinical partner. GUMC is a $274-million biomedical research and educational organization that accounts for more than 85 percent of the university’s sponsored research funding.
“Howard brings unique and exceptional abilities to this position during an important moment in UCI’s distinguished story,” said Chancellor Howard Gillman. “UCI is one of America’s leading research universities, and UCI Health is Orange County’s only academic medical center. Howard’s background, experience and leadership skills will ensure that UCI accelerates its contributions to human health and provides the people of this region with world-class patient care.”
“I am quite excited to be joining UCI, which has a highly regarded history of medical care, education and research,” Federoff said. “I plan to bring a fresh perspective to this new position and guide our medical school and healthcare enterprise to new heights.”
After earning master’s, doctoral and medical degrees from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, Federoff held clinical and academic positions at Einstein and the University of Rochester before joining Georgetown in 2007. Board-certified in internal medicine as well as endocrinology and metabolism, he also has advanced research in the areas of gene therapy and neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and prion diseases. He holds a number of medical patents, with several other patents pending.
Federoff was lead author of a 2014 study — which included UC Irvine researchers — that discovered and validated a predictive blood test for those at risk for Alzheimer’s.
“We reviewed many excellent candidates over several months, and the search committee was unanimous in its enthusiasm and support for Howard," said Bruce Tromberg, professor and director of the Beckman Laser Institute & Medical Clinic, who chaired the search committee. "His unique combination of leadership and experience in research, education, the clinical enterprise and philanthropy ensures that UCI Health will continue to grow in national stature and impact. We are delighted that he has chosen to join our team.”
“Dr. Federoff has demonstrable experience at one of the signature medical centers in the United States,” said Terry Belmont, CEO of UC Irvine Medical Center. “He is well-suited to assuming an important healthcare leadership position in Orange County, the region and the country.”
Federoff also will play a key role advancing philanthropic activities and community and industry partnerships for UCI Health. He believes that patient-centered prevention, wellness and care delivery will be powered by the most compelling science.
“The current environment demands that we develop and translate our discoveries to promote wellness and deliver value-based medicine,” he said. “The health sciences, when effectively intertwined, enable providers to collaborate, ensuring that every patient receives the most compassionate and individualized care.”
“With his noteworthy accomplishments, Dr. Federoff will continue to enhance UCI’s growing achievements in advancing clinical and research breakthroughs that will improve and protect health, both in our community and around the globe,” said James Mazzo, chairman and CEO of AcuFocus and a UC Irvine Foundation trustee.
Federoff will replace Dr. Roger Steinert, the Irving H. Leopold Chair in Ophthalmology and director of the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, who has served as interim dean of the School of Medicine since Dr. Ralph V. Clayman retired from the position in July 2014.
UCI Health comprises UCI’s clinical, medical education and related research enterprises. It includes the School of Medicine — which is ranked as one of the top 50 U.S. medical schools for research by U.S. News & World Report — and UC Irvine Medical Center, which is rated among the nation’s best hospitals. In early 2009, UCI Health opened UC Irvine Douglas Hospital, a modern facility for providing world-class medical care, conducting cutting-edge medical research, and training future and practicing physicians. It’s also home to the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of only 45 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the U.S.
About the University of California, Irvine: Currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, UC Irvine is the youngest member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. The campus has produced three Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 30,000 students and offers 192 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $4.8 billion annually to the local economy. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.
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