60Melina Kibbe, MD (Melina Kibbe)
Joined 3 months ago from Dean, UVA School of Medicine
Since 2021, Melina Kibbe, MD, has been the Dean of the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine, the James Carroll Flippin Professor of Medical Science, and the Chief Health Affairs Officer at UVA Health. In her leadership role, Dr. Kibbe has been dedicated to enhancing medical education, research, and patient care, fostering an environment that encourages collaboration and innovation. Her vision for the medical school includes advancing groundbreaking scientific discoveries and improving patient healthcare delivery while maintaining a strong commitment to educating the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Dr. Kibbe is also the Editor-in-Chief of JAMA Surgery, a position in which she has overseen the journal’s transformation into one of the most influential publications in the field of surgery. Her leadership and contributions to the field have earned her a place in the National Academy of Medicine, one of the most prestigious honors in healthcare.
Additionally, her excellence in teaching has been recognized with 24 awards, highlighting her dedication to mentoring students and fostering academic growth within the medical community.
In addition to her academic and editorial roles, Dr. Kibbe co-founded VesselTek BioMedical, LLC, a medical device company focused on developing solutions for vascular disease. While her clinical practice is more limited today, she continues caring for patients needing hemodialysis access and remains actively involved in research. She leads a lab focused on developing drug-eluting therapies for vascular diseases, with her work supported by various external research grants.
As Dean of the UVA School of Medicine, Dr. Kibbe has overseen significant institutional growth. Under her leadership, the school has increased research funding to $274 million, boosted its endowment to $1.7 billion, and expanded its faculty by hiring 550 new clinicians and researchers. These accomplishments have further strengthened the medical school’s reputation as a healthcare education and clinical care leader. Her leadership has also improved patient access to care and bolstered the efficiency of clinical programs.
Before joining UVA, Dr. Kibbe served as the Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of North Carolina (UNC), where she became the first woman to hold that position. At UNC, she led efforts to expand research funding and clinical services, contributing to the department’s growth. She also served at Northwestern University, earning accolades for her research and teaching, including the Tripartite Legacy Faculty Prize.
Melina Kibbe’s ongoing research focuses on vascular disease, particularly the development of drug-eluting therapies. Her research has received continuous funding from prominent organizations such as the National Institutes of Health. Through her work, she continues to push the boundaries of medical science, solidifying her position as a leader in the medical community.