INDIANAPOLIS— Meena S. Madhur, MD, PhD, has been named the new director of the Division of Clinical Pharmacology in the Department of Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. She will begin this role August 15, 2023.
Madhur comes from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Divisions of Clinical Pharmacology and Cardiovascular Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine. She is also the Associate Director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation (VI4) and an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics.
Madhur is an internationally recognized physician-scientist who studies the role of the immune system in the regulation of blood pressure. Her research is primarily focused on how lymphocytes (T cells) participate in causing hypertension (high blood pressure). Such work is aimed at identifying new targets for treating high blood pressure, potentially leading to safer and more effective options for treating one of the most common diseases affecting people in Indiana and beyond.
“Meena is a star in the fields of clinical pharmacology and cardiovascular health” said David Aronoff, MD, chair of the Department of Medicine. “She has natural leadership instincts. We are fortunate to have recruited her to Indiana University School of Medicine.”
Todd Skaar, PhD, has served in the Interim Director role since May, 2022.
“I am so thankful for the leadership of Dr. Skaar during this time of transition. He has brought a steady hand and caring approach to the Division that is much appreciated,” added Dr. Aronoff.
Madhur’s lab has attracted funding from sources including the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association. She is a past recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their independent research careers. She has also garnered recognition for her strength in research, including induction into the American Society of Clinical Investigation. She was awarded an American Heart Association Harry Goldblatt New Investigator Award, and is a past recipient of the American Physiological Society Water and Electrolyte Homeostasis Section New Investigator Award. Madhur is also an elected Fellow of the American Heart Association.
Madhur is a summa cum laude graduate of Duke University, who earned her combined MD/PhD degrees at the University of Virginia. She returned to Duke University to complete an Internal Medicine residency followed by a Fellowship in Cardiology at Emory University. Madhur conducted post-doctoral researchthere in the laboratory of David Harrison who later recruited her to join the faculty at Vanderbilt University, where she has been since 2012.
About IU School of Medicine
IU School of Medicine is the largest medical school in the U.S. and is annually ranked among the top medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The school offers high-quality medical education, access to leading medical research and rich campus life in nine Indiana cities, including rural and urban locations consistently recognized for livability.