Dr. Samir M. Parikh, an esteemed Indian American nephrologist, has been appointed Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, effective June 15.
Dr. Samir M. Parikh, a prominent Indian American nephrologist, is set to assume the role of Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, starting June 15. In this prestigious position, he will oversee a department comprising nearly 900 faculty members and manage a residency program that ranks as the second largest in the nation.
Under Dr. Parikh’s leadership, the department will benefit from substantial funding, with more than $108 million allocated from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the fiscal year 2025. He will also hold the Donald W. Seldin Distinguished Chair in Internal Medicine and the Ruth W. and Milton P. Levy Sr. Chair in Molecular Nephrology, as announced in a university release.
Currently, Dr. Parikh serves as a Professor and Chief of the Division of Nephrology at UT Southwestern, a position he has held since joining the institution in 2021. He also has a secondary appointment in the Department of Pharmacology.
Dr. Parikh earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Harvard College, graduating magna cum laude. He obtained his medical degree from Vanderbilt University and completed his internal medicine residency, along with research and clinical fellowships in nephrology, at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. There, he was recognized as a Harvard Medical School Fellow in General Medicine.
His academic career began at Harvard, where he advanced to the position of Professor of Medicine. He also served as Co-Director of the Center for Vascular Biology Research and held the role of Associate Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess.
In his clinical practice, Dr. Parikh specializes in acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. His research over the past two decades has concentrated on the mechanisms of aging in the vasculature, kidneys, and energy metabolism.
Dr. Parikh’s laboratory has garnered over $40 million in funding from the NIH and other sources, and his research findings have been published in prestigious journals, including *Science*, *Nature*, *Nature Medicine*, and *Cell Metabolism*.
In addition to his research and clinical work, Dr. Parikh is an elected member of several esteemed organizations, including the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the American Association of Physicians, and the American Clinical and Climatological Association.
His accolades include the NIH Outstanding Investigator Award, the Donald W. Seldin Young Investigator Award from both the American Society of Nephrology and the American Heart Association, as well as the STARs Award from the University of Texas System. Currently, he serves as the 59th President of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN).
During his presidency, ASN has made significant strides in advancing national research priorities through the Transforming Kidney Health Research initiative and has played a pivotal role in advocacy efforts that led to the passage of the Honoring our Living Donors (HOLD) Act.
Dr. W. P. Andrew Lee, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost and Dean of UT Southwestern Medical School, expressed confidence in Dr. Parikh’s leadership. “Dr. Parikh’s commitment to all areas of our mission will further the Department of Internal Medicine and our institution’s national reputation for providing excellent clinical care, advancing meaningful research, and fostering a unique environment for biomedical education,” he stated.
Dr. Parikh’s appointment marks a significant milestone for UT Southwestern, as the institution continues to enhance its reputation as a leading center for medical education and research.
For more information, please refer to the official announcement from UT Southwestern.