Indian American physician-scientist Dr Ravi Thadhani, whose research has helped transform the diagnosis of life-threatening pregnancy complications and kidney diseases, has been appointed to one of the most senior leadership positions at Cedars-Sinai, one of the United States’ leading academic medical centres.Beginning September 1, Dr Thadhani will serve as the institution’s first Executive Vice President, Chief Physician Executive, and Dean of the Medical Faculty. The newly created role will see him oversee Cedars-Sinai’s clinical operations, academic programmes and research initiatives, while also leading its medical education and research ecosystem.
A career spanning America’s leading medical institutions
Dr Thadhani’s career has taken him through some of the most respected names in American healthcare and academia. Before returning to Cedars-Sinai, he served as Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at Emory University, where he also held leadership roles on the Emory Healthcare Board and the Woodruff Health Sciences Center.Earlier, he held senior academic and clinical leadership positions at Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Mass General Brigham. He first joined Cedars-Sinai in 2017 as Vice Dean for Research and Education before returning to Harvard, where he served as Chief Academic Officer and Dean for Faculty Affairs at Mass General Brigham.Announcing the appointment, Cedars-Sinai President and CEO Dr Peter L. Slavin described him as a leader who brings “a rare combination of academic excellence, clinical leadership and scientific innovation.”
The doctor behind a breakthrough in pregnancy care
While Dr Thadhani has held several leadership roles, he is perhaps best known for his work as a physician-scientist. A nephrologist specialising in kidney diseases, he has spent decades researching preeclampsia, a serious pregnancy complication characterised by high blood pressure that can endanger both mother and baby if not detected early.His research, carried out with fellow scientists, led to the development of the first US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved test to predict preeclampsia, giving doctors an important tool to identify high-risk pregnancies sooner and improve patient care.Beyond preeclampsia, his research has focused on kidney disease and translational medicine, helping bridge scientific discoveries with real-world clinical practice.
More than 300 research papers and national recognition
Over the course of his career, Dr Thadhani has authored or co-authored more than 300 scientific papers, with his work published in some of the world’s most influential medical journals, including The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).His contributions have earned him some of the highest honours in medicine and science. In 2025, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest recognitions in American healthcare, and earlier this year he was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).As he prepares to take charge in the newly created leadership role, Dr Thadhani will guide one of America’s foremost medical institutions while continuing to advance research, medical education and patient care—a career built on scientific discovery, innovation and clinical excellence.
