Endowed Chairs & Professorships

Rob Sterling, Dominic Raj and David Belyea

Endowed chairs and professorships are enduring investments that elevate research, teaching, and scholarship. Faculty are the lifeblood of an academic medical enterprise that educate and mentor the next generation of problem-solvers and caregivers as they serve patients in the local community with their expertise.

Robert Sterling, MD Dr. John P. Adams Research Professorship in Orthopaedic Surgery Established in 2019 by Katharine Graham, former publisher of The Washington Post, who was a patient and friend of Adams.
Brandon Kohrt, MD, PhD, RESD ’13 Charles and Sonia Akman Professor of Global Psychiatry Established in 2017 in memory of the parents of Leonard C. Akman, MD ’43, a pioneer in heart transplantation and cardiac catheterization and cousin to former SMHS dean Jeffrey S. Akman, MD ’81, RESD ’85.
Jeffrey Berger, MD, MBA Dr. Seymour Alpert Chair in Anesthesiology This endowment fund was established in 1982 by gifts in honor of Seymour Alpert, MD, LLD 1984, GW Vice President Emeritus for Development and GW Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology.
LaQuandra Nesbitt, MD, MPH Bicentennial Endowed Professor of Medicine and Health Sciences Established in 2022.
Barbara L. Bass, MD, RESD ’86, FACS Walter A. Bloedorn, MD, Professorship of Administrative Medicine Established in 1983 by the Walter A. Bloedorn Foundation in memory of Walter A. Bloedorn, MD, to support a full professor who is dean of SMHS.
Dominic Raj, MD Bert B. Brooks Chair in the Medical School Established in 2004 by Bert B. Brooks to support diabetes research.
Nancy Gaba, MD ’93, RESD ’97, FACOG Oscar I. and Mildred S. Dodek and Joan B. and Oscar I. Dodek Jr. Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences Established in 1982 by Oscar I. Dodek and Mildred S. Dodek and Joan B. and Oscar I. Dodek Jr., MD ’56, JD ’85.
Edward Seto, PhD King Fahd Professorship of Cancer Biology Established in 1993 by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
John Bethea, PhD King Fahd Professorship Fund II Established in 1993 by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Robert H. Miller, PhD Vivian Gill Distinguished Research Chair Established in 1967 by Thomas H. Gill in memory of his wife, Vivian Gill.
Julie E. Bauman, MD, MPH Dr. Cyrus Katzen Family Director of the GW Cancer Center Established in 2019 by Jay Katzen and the Dr. Cyrus Katzen Foundation, whose support over the past two decades has been critical to cancer care at GW and in Washington, D.C.
Antonia R. Sepulveda, MD, PhD Ralph E. Loewy Professorship in Oncology Established in 1990 by Dr. Samuel Adler, MD ’27, and his late wife, Edna Loewy Adler, directed from the proceeds of a trust from Mrs. Loewy’s late brother, Ralph E. Loewy; in support of basic science.
Lawrence R. Deyton, MSPH, MD ’85 Murdock Head Chair in Medicine and Health Policy Established in 1995 by the Airlie Foundation to support an individual who will contribute to the Medical Center’s activities in teaching, management, and direction of major programs related to preventive medicine.
Rong Li, PhD Ross Professorship Endowment of Basic Science Research Established in 2006 by the Walter G. Ross Foundation under the guidance of Dr. Lloyd Elliott and Eugene Bernard, JD ’51, to support a faculty member with a significant portfolio of basic science research, for translational research in various stages.
Mardi Gomberg-Maitland, MD, MSci Ross Professorship of Clinical Research Established in 2006 by the Walter G. Ross Foundation under the guidance of Dr. Lloyd Elliott and Eugene Bernard, J.D. ’51, to support a faculty member with a significant portfolio of clinical research, for translational research in various stages.
Anton Sidawy, MD, MPH, FACS Lewis B. Saltz Chair in Surgery Established in 1961 through a bequest from the Lewis B. Saltz estate.
David Belyea, MD Daniel P. Shepard M.D. and Dennis Shepard M.D. Professor of Ophthalmology Established in 2019.
Jeffrey S. Akman, MD ‘81, RESD ‘85 Leon M. Yochelson Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Established in 1982 by Joseph E. Rankin, MD ’46, in honor of Leon Yochelson, MD, chair of the GW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 1959-1970.
Professor of Neurosciences Established in 2000 by an anonymous donor to support a member of the basic science faculty.
Carbonell Family Professorship in Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Established in 2014 by Nelson A. Carbonell Jr., BS '85, former chair of the GW Board of Trustees; his wife, Michele M. Carbonell; and their family in support of the directorship of the Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute.
Dr. Henry D. Fry Professorship in Physiology Established in 1945 by Annabel Lee Fry in memory of her husband Dr. Henry Fry.
Virginia Gray Professorship in Gastrointestinal Medicine Established in 2018 by Virginia K. Gray.
Eugene Meyer Chair of Medicine Established in 1955 by multiple donors.
Frank N. Miller, MD, Distinguished Teaching Professor Established in 1996 by gifts in honor of Frank N. Miller, MD, professor emeritus of pathology, for his nearly 50 years of service to SMHS as a teacher, mentor, and administrator.
Meta Amalia Neumann Professorship in Neurology Established in 2007 by Dr. Robert Cohn, MD ’36, to support the chair of neurology.
Dr. Hugo V. Rizzoli Professorship in Neurosurgery (created by the Rizzoli-Ammerman Endowment Fund) Established in 1994 to honor the career of Hugo V. Rizzoli, professor emeritus of neurosurgery, in support the chair of the Department of Neurosurgery.

For more information about endowing chairs and professorships, please contact SMHS Development and Alumni Relations at 202-994-7511 or smhsalumni@gwu.edu.