Ramnik Xavier, left, the inaugural Kurt J. Isselbacher Professor of Medicine in the Field of Gastroenterology, speaks with the professorship’s namesake. Image: Suzanne Camarata Photography
In an April 30 ceremony at Harvard Medical School’s Gordon Hall of Medicine, HMS Dean Jeffrey S. Flier acknowledged Ramnik Xavier as the first incumbent of the Kurt J. Isselbacher Professorship in the Field of Gastroenterology.
“At Harvard Medical School, endowed professorships represent the highest honor we can bestow upon our faculty members. Already a well-respected member of the professoriate, Ramnik now holds the title of the Kurt J. Isselbacher Professor of Medicine in the Field of Gastroenterology—a title that distinguishes him further as a leader among his peers within the Harvard Medical community and beyond,” said Flier.
Xavier’s research applies innovative genomic, genetic and chemical biology approaches to better understand common inflammatory diseases. He is particularly interested in the innovative treatment of patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
He is chief of the Gastrointestinal Unit and directs the Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Massachusetts General Hospital, and is also a senior associate member of the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT.
The professorship was named for Kurt J. Isselbacher, the HMS Mallinckrodt Distinguished Professor of Medicine and director emeritus of the Mass General Cancer Center. It was established by the Foundation for Research in Cell Biology and Cancer, of which Isselbacher is a trustee.
“Dr. Isselbacher’s decision to strengthen both the study of gastroenterology and our partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital, in addition to his contributions over the years as a member of our faculty, is truly remarkable,” said Flier.
Other speakers at the ceremony included Peter Slavin, president of Mass General and professor of health care policy at HMS, and Katrina Armstrong, physician-in-chief of the Department of Medicine at Mass General and Jackson Professor of Clinical Medicine at HMS.
