Dr. Douglas L. Mann, the Tobias and Hortense Lewin Professor of Medicine, has decided to step down as Chief of the Cardiovascular Division effective May 1, 2019, in order to focus on his research and have more time with his family. Dr. Mann will stay here on the faculty and continue to play an important role as a clinician, investigator and mentor. Dr. Greg Ewald, Professor of Medicine, Chief of Clinical Cardiology and Director of the Section of Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation will serve as the acting Division Chief. We will begin a national search for the next Division Director in the next few weeks. Dr. Nick Davidson, the John E. and Adaline Simon Professor of Medicine and Developmental Biology and Division Director of Gastroenterology, will chair the search committee. The Division is very strong, and will continue to thrive under Dr. Ewald’s leadership going forward.
Dr. Mann was recruited to Washington University in 2009 as the Chief of the Cardiovascular Division after serving as Chief of the Section of Cardiology and Director of the Winters Center for Heart Failure Research at Baylor. Dr. Mann has lead the Division for the past decade in an exemplary manner. The clinical, research and educational programs in cardiology have grown dramatically. Dr. Mann recruited outstanding faculty and mentored many trainees and junior faculty into successful independent careers in multiple areas of cardiology.
Dr. Mann is widely recognized as an international leader in the field of cardiology. His contributions to medical research in the area of the molecular and cellular basis of heart failure are beyond compare. His work studying the pathophysiology of congestive heart failure has led to the development of novel therapeutic approaches to treatment. Recognition that subclinical inflammation is associated with an increased risk of heart failure and with an adverse prognosis in patients with heart failure is a result of the work of Dr. Mann and his colleagues. This work has generated tremendous interest in the area of prevention and treatment of heart failure using anti-inflammatory therapies.
Throughout his career, Dr. Mann has devoted countless time and energy into developing future generations of physician-scientists. He has mentored 45 fellows and faculty trainees, and has served on 11 graduate committees. He has served on numerous NIH study sections, executive boards, and editorial boards. Dr. Mann is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, is Past President of the Heart Failure Society of America, and has received the American College of Cardiology’s Distinguished Mentor Award. Dr. Mann will continue in his role as Editor-in-Chief, JACC: Basic to Translational Science and expand his time and effort in his research.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Mann on his accomplishments. We are very grateful to him and thank him for his many contributions to the Division of Cardiology, the Department of Medicine, Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.