Announcement: Leadership Transition in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology
Medical School
Office of the Dean
It is my distinct pleasure to announce the appointment of Bharat Thyagarajan, MD, PhD, MPH, as the new Head of the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology (LMP), effective May 1st, 2026.
Dr. Thyagarajan is a familiar and highly respected leader within our community. His deep institutional knowledge, combined with his international reputation in molecular epidemiology and precision medicine, makes him the ideal successor to lead this department. Having served as the Vice Chair for Translational Research and Director of the Division of Molecular Pathology and Genomics, Dr. Thyagarajan has already played a pivotal role in the department’s recent growth and success. He has also been instrumental in advancing the work of the Advanced Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (ARDL), strengthening our capacity to translate cutting-edge science into high-impact clinical diagnostics.
Dr. Thyagarajan earned his MBBS from Grant Medical College, India and his PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Minnesota. He is a Board-certified clinical pathologist with a primary appointment as a Professor in LMP.
A noted expert in molecular biomarkers and the genetics of aging, Dr. Thyagarajan has made significant contributions to the field through his leadership of large-scale clinical trials and national research initiatives, such as the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Long Life Family Study (LLFS). His work in the development and validation of molecular assays has been instrumental in advancing our clinical diagnostic capabilities.
Dr. Thyagarajan is known as a principled leader and a deeply collaborative colleague. His vision for the future of LMP—rooted in the integration of advanced genomics and patient-centered diagnostics—is well aligned with our goals for the future of the Medical School.
This appointment is the result of a rigorous national search. I want to extend my sincere thanks to Sayeed Ikramuddin, MD, who chaired the search committee, and to the entire committee for their disciplined stewardship of this process. Their dedication ensured we identified a leader capable of sustaining the department’s impressive trajectory of excellence.
As Dr. Thyagarajan assumes this role, we also recognize the monumental legacy of Dr. Leo Furcht. For over four decades, Leo has provided steady, visionary leadership to the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology. His influence is foundational; he has built LMP into one of the premier departments in the country while serving as a dedicated mentor to generations of faculty, learners and staff. We are profoundly grateful for his tireless service and the standard of excellence he has established at this Medical School. Please join me in extending our deepest gratitude to Dr. Leo Furcht for his historic leadership.
Building on this extraordinary legacy, please join me in offering Dr. Bharat Thyagarajan our full support as he takes on this vital leadership role.
Carol Bradford, MD, MS, FACS
Interim Dean of the Medical School and Interim Executive Vice President for Health Affairs
