Jeff Towbin

Professor and Chief, Pediatric Cardiology, Executive Co-Director The Heart Institute

United States of America

Dr. Jeffrey A. Towbin, Executive Director of the Heart Institute and Professor & Chief, Pediatric Cardiology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, did his Pediatric Residency at Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati. Dr. Towbin then moved to Houston to do his Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital in 1985. He joined the faculty of Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital in July 1989 as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, and subsequently was promoted to the rank of tenured Associate Professor (1993) and finally tenured Professor (1998). Dr. Towbin relocated back to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in 2009 to become the Executive Co-Director of the Heart Institute.

Dr. Towbin has published nearly 400 peer-reviewed publications, and over 70 book chapters, as well as editing 3 books. He has been awarded many NIH grants with continuous funding over his career, and is the recipient of various other extramural grants, including several grants mentoring students and junior faculty. Dr. Towbin has also received many honors nationally and internationally, including the Michael Debakey Excellence in Research Award and the 2007 American College of Cardiology Distinguished Scientist Award (March 2007). He has given over 30 named Lectureships as well.

Clinically, Dr. Towbin has developed and directed the Pediatric Heart Failure/Transplant Program and the Cardiovascular Genetics Clinic, both of which are currently amongst the largest in the U.S. Dr. Towbin’s work in deciphering the causes of sudden cardiac death and heart failure, either due to heart muscle disease or cardiac rhythm disorders, has been instrumental in advancing the understanding of these disorders. In addition, his work on the treatment of these disorders is helping break new ground.