Dr Victor Dzau

President of the United States National Academy of Medicine

Biography

Dr Victor J. Dzau is the President of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), formerly the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in the United States. In addition, he serves as Vice Chair of the National Research Council. Dr. Dzau is also James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Chancellor Emeritus at Duke University and the past President and CEO of the Duke University Health System.

Dr Dzau is recognised globally for a long and highly decorated career as a scientist, administrator and leader. His important work on the renin angiotensin system (RAS) paved the way for the contemporary understanding of RAS in cardiovascular disease and the development of widely used, lifesaving drugs. Dr.Dzau also pioneered gene therapy for vascular disease, and his recent work on stem cell paracrine mechanisms and the use of microRNA in direct reprogramming provides novel insight into stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.

In his role as a leader in health, Dr. Dzau has led significant efforts in health innovation. His vision is for academic health sciences centers to lead the transformation of medicine through innovation, translation, and globalization. In 2010, he advanced the concept of Discovery to Care Continuum. To create an Innovation ecosystem, he developed the Duke Translational Medicine Institute, the Duke Global Health Institute and the Duke Institute for Health Innovation. Dr Dzau is a leader in global health innovation and developed the Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School. In 2011, he led a partnership between Duke University, the World Economic Forum, and McKinsey, and co-founded the non-profit organization named Innovations in Healthcare (formerly International Partnership for Innovative Healthcare Delivery) which supports the growth and scaling of a global network of innovators and currently chairs its Board of Directors. Dr Dzau was also chair of the WISH 2016 Precision Medicine forum.