Dr. Rana Chakraborty Named UHealth Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases
The renowned physician says his priority will be providing world-class care to the patients his division will serve.
World-renewed pediatric infectious disease specialist Rana Chakraborty, M.D., has been named chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases for UHealth — University of Miami Health System and Jackson Health System.
Dr. Chakraborty will also serve as the Adrienne Arsht Endowed Chair in Pediatric Clinical Research at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He will join the division in June.
“We are proud to bring the extraordinary talents of Dr. Chakraborty to our medical campus, Department of Pediatrics and Batchelor Children’s Research Institute,” said Glenn Flores, M.D., chair of the Department of Pediatrics and senior associate dean of child health at the Miller School. “His world-class expertise in clinical care, NIH-funded research portfolio, extensive experience as an educator and mentor, and international renown as a global health expert will propel our department forward as we advance our departmental mission to accomplishing extraordinary things every day for children of all ages.”
In addition to his medical degree from the Antigua School of Medicine, Dr. Chakraborty has a master’s in immunology from the University of London and a Ph.D. in clinical medicine from the University of Oxford. His medical journey continued in the U.S., where he completed his pediatric residency at Bronx Lebanon Hospital, part of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He also did a fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases at the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
“I’m looking forward to joining this stellar department where I will be surrounded by experienced and dynamic faculty as we face the health care challenges of Miami’s patient population,” Dr. Chakraborty said. “I will also be part of a system where I can take my research enterprises to the next level.”
World-Class Care
As chief of pediatric infectious disease, Dr. Chakraborty looks forward to helping faculty members reach their career goals and providing impactful mentorship opportunities to young faculty and trainees.
In his clinical practice, Dr. Chakraborty will prioritize providing world-class care to the patients his division will serve. His clinical focus is the management of HIV in children and adolescents, perinatal infections and infectious diseases in patients with underlying complex conditions, including bone and solid-organ transplantation and newborn prematurity.
“I am embarking on this extraordinary opportunity with an open mind,” Dr. Chakraborty said. “I want to first hear from the team on the needs of the division and the direction they would like to see it go. My aim is to be an effective leader and provide a support system as a catalyst that’s moving this division forward.”
Research Impact in Adolescent Health
Dr. Chakraborty’s clinical research investigates placental immunology in the context of HIV and viruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Zika virus and cytomegalovirus. He comes to the Miller School with more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and is a principal investigator on two National Institutes of Health grants. His lab investigates the utero transmission of HIV and its impact on the developing fetal immune system during gestation as well as the effects of transgenerational racial trauma on epigenetic modifications in the mother-infant dyad during pregnancy.
Miami Dade County is already a hotspot for HIV, with an HIV prevalence well above the national average. Dr. Chakraborty’s experience with HIV/AIDS is critical for a pediatric demographic that, at times, is overlooked compared with adults.
“HIV is something that hit close to me since the early stages of my career, and defined my calling,” Dr. Chakraborty said. “I was a medical student when the disease was at its peak and I witnessed many physicians’ discomfort in treating this population. Though things have improved, I’m looking forward to the work we can do in Miami with these patients and their social determinants of health.”
Dr. Chakraborty succeeds Ivan Gonzalez, M.D., who has served as interim chief of the division, and Gwen Scott, M.D., chief emerita of the division, who was chief for decades and is world-renowned for her pioneering work on the prevention and treatment of pediatric HIV/AIDS.
“I want my legacy in this leadership role to be remembered as someone who could lead by example and provide the best possible clinical care to the children we serve, regardless of background,” Dr. Chakraborty said. “I want this division to be known for its top-tier fellows, commitment to diversity and the impactful research we will conduct in pediatric infectious diseases.”
Tags: Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Rana Chakraborty, HIV, Jackson Health System, pediatric infectious diseases