Richard Becker to Head Cardiovascular Activities at University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, UC Health

CINCINNATI—Richard Becker, MD, professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, has been appointed head of the newly renamed division of cardiovascular health and disease within the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine's Department of Internal Medicine. Becker will also serve as director of the University of Cincinnati Cardiovascular Institute (UCCVI). Additionally, he will hold the Mabel Stearns Stonehill Chair of Cardiology, pending approval by the UC Board of Trustees.

"We are very fortunate to bring Dr. Becker back to Cincinnati. He is a scientist, teacher and clinician with an international reputation who has developed and advanced numerous cardiovascular programs of distinction," said Thomas Boat, MD, Christian R. Holmes Professor and dean of the College of Medicine and UC vice president for health affairs. Becker is a 1982 graduate of the UC College of Medicine and also received bachelor and master's degrees from UC.

Becker will begin his work at UC and UC Health on Sept. 23, 2013.

"In addition to his administrative responsibilities within the division and UCCVI, Dr. Becker will lead all cardiovascular services throughout the UC Health system and be integral in collaborations with colleagues at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the Cincinnati Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Furthermore, he will play a pivotal role in enhancing and establishing working relationships with cardiovascular professionals throughout the Cincinnati community," said James Kingsbury, president and chief executive officer of UC Health.

"I am humbled, honored and privileged to become the chief of cardiovascular health and disease and director of the Cardiovascular Institute at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. By grace and good fortune, my education, training, experiences and appointments at several of the country's most distinguished, respected and successful medical schools, academic medical centers and health care systems have prepared me well to serve UC's mission of patient care, education and research," Becker said.

"The institution possesses the heart, soul and deep commitment to unconditionally serve the people of Cincinnati, the Tristate area and beyond with distinction and compassion, while concomitantly making meaningful and long-lasting contributions to science and medicine through ground-breaking research, innovation, invention and training the next generation of physicians, health care professionals and scholars."

Following his graduation from the UC College of Medicine, Becker completed his internship, residency and hematology fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. He joined the University of Massachusetts Medical School after a fellowship in cardiology there and rose to the rank of professor. He was the founding director of the Cardiovascular Thrombosis Research Center and director of the Coronary Care Unit and Anticoagulation Services at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center.

Becker joined Duke University in 2003 as professor of medicine and director of the Duke Cardiovascular Thrombosis Center. He also serves as co-director of both the Advanced Biomarkers Program at the Duke Clinical Research Institute and the Duke Comprehensive Center for Hemostasis and Thrombosis. Additionally, he directs the Duke University Health System's Cardiogenetics Thrombosis Clinic.

In 2011, Becker received the Daniel Drake Medal, the UC College of Medicine's highest honor. He has received numerous other teaching, research and master clinician awards during his career.

Becker has served as a principal investigator and co-principal investigator of many National Institutes of Health-funded research studies and has been supported by industry, foundations and other government agencies for clinical and translational investigations on thrombosis, hemostasis, vascular biology and pharmacogenetics. He is a prolific contributor to scientific literature having published more than 600 articles, textbooks, book chapters, invited reviews and editorials, abstracts and both national and international position papers. He is the founding editor-in-chief of the Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis, an editorial board member for Thrombosis Research, Journal of the American College of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Therapeutics and a guest editor for Circulation.

Becker is a member of numerous professional societies, including the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis and the American Heart Association, for which he is a national spokesperson.