Prof Ighowera Ofotokun

Dr. Ofotokun is the John H. Hord Professor, Steris Chair of Excellence in Medicine, and Chair of the Department of Medicine at University Hospitals/Case Western Reserve University (UH/CWRU), where he also serves as Physician-in-Chief for University Hospitals. He is also a tenured Professor of Molecular Biology and Microbiology at Case Western Reserve University. In these roles, he leads one of the nation’s major academic departments of medicine, advancing excellence across patient care, research, and medical education, with a leadership focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, faculty and trainee development, and strategic innovation that improves health outcomes and accelerates discovery.

Before joining UH/CWRU, Dr. Ofotokun spent more than two decades at Emory University, where he served as Grady Distinguished Professor of Medicine with tenure, Professor of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences in the Rollins School of Public Health, Associate Dean for Research Development in the School of Medicine, and Staff Physician at Grady Healthcare Infectious Diseases Program. He also held major leadership roles in research and training programs, including Co-Director of the Emory Center for AIDS Research Clinical Core and leadership of multiple NIH-supported workforce and career development initiatives.

An internationally recognized clinician-scientist, Dr. Ofotokun’s research has focused on the long-term consequences of HIV, particularly age-related comorbidities and the biological mechanisms that shape healthy aging in people living with HIV. His work has helped define how disruption at the organ-immune interface contributes to chronic HIV-related complications and has informed changes in HIV treatment approaches in the United States and globally, including World Health Organization policy.

Building on this expertise, Dr. Ofotokun led the Atlanta hub of the NIH RECOVER Initiative and now serves as national Chair of the RECOVER Adult Cohort Coordinating Committee, overseeing one of the largest Long COVID research cohorts in the world, spanning hubs and clinical sites across the United States. His broader career has also reflected a sustained commitment to research training, women’s health, and expanding representation in biomedical science in the U.S. and internationally.

Dr. Ofotokun has authored more than 250 scientific publications and has been supported by nearly $100 million in NIH funding. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and a member of the NIH Advisory Committee on Research on Women’s Health. His honors include the 2023 John F. Enders Lecture at IDWeek, the 2024 Maxwell Finland Award for Scientific Achievement from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, the 2025 American Academy of Microbiology Honorary Diversity Lecture, and election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science