Translational Research Leader Named Dean of UCLA Medical School

Dr. Steven M. Dubinett, a leader in the fields of pulmonology and translational research, has been named dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

Dubinett, who was associate vice chancellor for research at UCLA and senior associate dean for translational research at the DGSOM, is a founding director of the UCLA Clinical & Translational Science Institute, which is a consortium of four Los Angeles institutions that are enhancing the translation of basic research into drugs, medical devices, tools and interventions that improve health. He joined the medical school’s faculty in 1988 and has served as interim dean since September 2021. He was selected following a national search.

Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt, in an announcement to the campus community, said, “Dean Dubinett is well-equipped to helm DGSOM and to advance its strategic goals — including partnering with colleagues to deepen the school’s commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in alignment with UCLA’s overall focus on inclusive excellence; elevating the school’s profile in academic research; and expanding its engagement with underserved communities in Los Angeles.”

Dr. John Mazziotta, vice chancellor for health sciences and CEO of UCLA Health, said, “Dean Dubinett has demonstrated a strong capacity for advancing basic, translational, clinical and community-engaged research at the DGSOM. His decades of experience in research administration and translational science will enable him to serve the research and clinical mission areas of the school well.” Dr. Mazziotta added, “Perhaps most importantly, he has a long history of commitment to collaborative partnerships with colleagues and mentorship of graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and junior faculty.”

The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is a leader in medical research and education. It has more than 850 students, 3,500 clinical and basic science faculty, 1,300 medical residents and fellows, and 400 doctoral students. It is among the nation’s top recipients of federal funding for scientific research. Faculty and medical residents provide patient care at four UCLA Health hospitals in Westwood and Santa Monica and more than 260 clinics throughout Southern California. UCLA faculty and trainees also provide patient care in the Los Angeles County Health Services system, the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Venice Family Clinic and MLK Community Hospital.

“We stand at the threshold of transformative opportunities in research, education, and equitable patient care,” said Dubinett. “I am truly honored and privileged to lead the David Geffen School of Medicine, an integral contributor to the nation’s leading public university which resides in one of the most diverse communities in the nation.”

Dubinett earned his medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. He completed his residency in internal medicine at UCLA and a fellowship in pulmonology medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. After joining the UCLA faculty, he focused on translational lung cancer research. From 2006 to 2021, he served as the chief of the Division of Pulmonary Critical Care, Sleep Medicine, Clinical Immunology and Allergy.

He serves on the editorial boards of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, Cancer Prevention Research and Frontiers in Immunology. He is the 2023 recipient of the American Thoracic Society Lifetime Achievement Award.

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