The new University of Toledo dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences won’t have to worry about getting to know the campus.

Interim President Nagi Naganathan announced today that Dr. Christopher Cooper, UT chair of the Department of Medicine, has been selected following a national search to lead the college, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.

“Dr. Cooper is one of our most dedicated clinicians, teachers and medical researchers. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have him in Toledo these last 20 years, and I am pleased that he has accepted my invitation to lead our College of Medicine and Life Sciences. Chris’ commitment to interdisciplinary innovations in education and research will serve our university well in the years to come,” Naganathan said.

Cooper, a cardiologist, joined the Medical College of Ohio in 1994 after completing an internship, his residency training and a cardiology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an internationally recognized hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School.

“I’m honored to accept this role because I know firsthand the hard-working and talented faculty and staff that make this College of Medicine a place that I have been proud to serve for the past two decades,” Cooper said. “I want to thank Dr. Naganathan and Interim Provost John Barrett for their confidence, and I am looking forward to working with the students, faculty and staff of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences to continue elevating this college, the UT Medical Center and the University.”

Cooper will report to Naganathan for all clinical matters and to Barrett for the college’s academic mission.

“Perhaps the only thing about Chris that is more impressive than his teaching and research excellence is the tremendous amount of respect his students and colleagues hold for him. As we continue to work to advance all colleges at UT, it is clear the College of Medicine and Life Sciences is in good hands,” Barrett said.

Cooper also will work closely with Dave Morlock, CEO of UT Medical Center.

“As the health-care industry evolves, it is more critical now than ever to have a close working relationship between the clinical and academic missions of the UT Medical Center,” Morlock said. “Dr. Cooper has one of the sharpest minds spanning those two worlds, and I’m excited to continue working with him now in this new role as dean.”

Naganathan also said he was deeply appreciative of Dr. Ron McGinnis for his service as the college’s interim dean since February.

“Ron has provided stable leadership at an important moment in the history of our institution. I’m profoundly thankful to him, and I look forward to his continued guidance and friendship,” Naganathan said.

Cooper was appointed interim chair of the Department of Medicine in 2012 and was named to the permanent post in April 2013. From 2002 to 2012, he served as director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, and from 2008 to 2011, he also served as director of the UT Heart and Vascular Center.

A prolific researcher, Cooper has received more than $25 million from the government and industry. The principal investigator on a $20 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, Cooper and his team announced results in late 2013 that could lead to fewer surgeries and lower costs for patients suffering from kidney-related high blood pressure. These results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

He is a Fellow at the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the American College of Physicians. Since 2012, he has served on the Board of Governors of the National American College of Cardiology and is president of the Ohio Chapter.

He has been named one of America’s Top Doctors seven times, one of the Best Doctors in America four times, is the author or co-author of 67 journal articles and six book chapters, and has participated in hundreds of invited lectures, seminars and symposia.

Cooper received his bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, and his doctorate in medicine from the University of Cincinnati, where he graduated as the class valedictorian.

He and his wife, Lynn, have four children, Emily, Katherine, Johnathan and Peter.

Click here to download a photo of Cooper.

Media Coverage
The Blade (July 29, 2014)
The Blade (July 29, 2014)
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