Dr. Rana Chakraborty Named Director of the Miami CFAR
The chief of the Miller School’s Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases will succeed Dr. Savita Pahwa, who held the position for 18 years.
Rana Chakraborty, M.D., chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, will become the next director of the Miami Center for AIDS Research (Miami CFAR).
Founded in 2007, the Miami CFAR has been led for 18 years by Savita Pahwa, M.D., professor of microbiology and immunology at the Miller School. Under her leadership and collaboration with co-director, Mario Stevenson, Ph.D., professor of medicine in the Miller School Division of Infectious Diseases, the center has thrived in research and community outreach, initiatives Dr. Chakraborty is proud to continue as director.
“It’s an honor and privilege to assume this position,” said Dr. Chakraborty, who is also the Adrienne Arsht Endowed Chair in Pediatric Clinical Research. “For more than 30 years, my career has prepared me for this moment and how to best address key areas of clinical care, community engagement and behavioral components of HIV.”
Humanistic Approach to Infectious Diseases
Before his world-renowned career, Dr. Chakraborty was drawn into the field of infectious diseases because of its complex human impact. Infectious diseases affect large numbers of individuals and, as seen with the COVID-19 pandemic, have widespread psychological and social effects.
As a physician with Indian roots, Dr. Chakraborty views the challenges associated with infectious diseases through a personal lens.
HIV/AIDS doesn’t discriminate and can affect us all, which is why it’s so important to continue the mission set forth during the past 18 years.
Dr. Rana Chakraborty
“We’re working to understand appropriate management and prevention of these types of diseases,” Dr. Chakraborty said. “As someone of Indian origin, I have seen many of my family members experience infectious diseases. My father expressed to me if someone were going into medicine, they should consider infectious diseases as a career, a path I have proudly pursued.”
With a year complete at the Miller School, Dr. Chakraborty’s motivation is focused on decreasing South Florida’s high rates of HIV.
“There’s a lot of work to be done regarding screening, prevention and education,” Dr. Chakraborty said. “I’m hoping through a collaborative approach with health departments and other key institutions, we can try to improve that trajectory in the near future.”
Continuing Strides in HIV Care and Research
As director, Dr. Chakraborty is responsible for ensuring the Miami CFAR continues to meet the needs of the community it serves with superlative care and supportive staff. He hopes to boost the program’s output of scientific research and clinical trials to surface more effective therapies for HIV. In addition, Dr. Chakraborty will work closely with the community to make sure the Miami CFAR is a viable resource for people at risk for HIV and those already impacted.
In the long term, Dr. Chakraborty envisions the Miami CFAR interacting with other institutions in South Florida to develop collaborative research that can be impactful throughout the country.
“My future vision for the Miami CFAR is of a center with a portfolio that engages with communities across the board, irrespective of their background differences,” he said. “HIV/AIDS doesn’t discriminate and can affect us all, which is why it’s so important to continue the mission set forth during the past 18 years.”
Tags: AIDS, CFAR, Dr. Rana Chakraborty, Dr. Savita Pahwa, Miami Center for AIDS Research