Institutes
The following is a list of Cedars-Sinai Institutes that specialize in a broad area of medicine from a variety of departments across the Cedars-Sinai enterprise.
Heart Institute
Director: Eduardo Marban, MD, PhD
The Heart Institute is dedicated exclusively to diagnosing, preventing, treating, managing and researching diseases, conditions and disorders of the heart and vascular system. Services range from noninvasive techniques, such as nuclear and echocardiographic imaging, cardiac MRI and electron beam computed tomography (EBCT), to invasive procedures, including angioplasty, stenting, arrhythmia ablation, pacemaker/defibrillator implantation, bypass surgery, valve repair/replacement and heart transplants. With a commitment to excellence and advancement of the state of cardiac medicine, Cedars-Sinai has assembled a world-class team of outstanding cardiac physicians, researchers, nurses and clinicians to create the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute.
Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute
Director: Steven Piantadosi, MD, PhD
Because cancer takes many forms, each calling for different prevention, diagnostic and treatment techniques, the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, under the expert direction of Steven Piantadosi, MD, PhD, serves as a hub for an array of cancer specialty centers and treatment programs at Cedars-Sinai. Many specific cancers also have Tumor Boards, which bring together specialists from many different areas to review and develop treatment plans for specific cases. Innovation underlies the medical care provided at the cancer treatment institute. Thanks to its ongoing research, new cancer treatments and medical discoveries are introduced as quickly as they are determined to be safe and effective for patients. Ongoing clinical trials and research studies conducted at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center offer renewed hope to thousands every year.
Our cancer research laboratories are headed by some of the most knowledgeable and creative minds working in medical research today. Our faculty physicians have appointments at medical schools throughout Southern California.
Regenerative Medicine Institute
Director: Clive Svendsen, PhD
Cedars Sinai is pleased to announce the establishment of the Regenerative Medicine Institute led by Dr. Clive Svendsen. It will be the hub of activity for all stem cell and regeneration projects on the Cedar Sinai campus including both basic and translational research programs. The Regenerative Medicine Institute will bring together researchers and clinicians to discuss stem cell therapies, provide core services that generate clinically relevant stem cell populations, use disease specific stem cells to explore mechanisms of cell death in human disorders, and educate a new generation of graduate students and clinicians through a new Cedars Translational Stem Cell Course.
Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute
Director: Keith Black, MD
At the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute (MDNSI), major clinical and research efforts are underway to develop an effective treatment for brain tumors. Important advances have already been made and novel clinical protocols are in progress. However, we plan to expand our research efforts to accelerate the discoveries from our laboratories and the translation of these discoveries to new treatments. Recent discoveries by scientists at the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute have generated excitement and hope for control of diseases that can devastate the body's most vital organ - the brain.
Medical Genetics Institute
Interim Director: Laurence H. Kedes, MD
The Medical Genetics Institute at Cedars-Sinai provides the full range of genetic screening, diagnosis and treatment services, as well as extensive research programs into genetic diseases. The Institute is a multidisciplinary outpatient center providing the West Coast's most comprehensive services in the diagnosis, prevention and management of all forms of hereditary disorders and birth defects affecting fetuses, newborns, children, adolescents and adults. We also provide inpatient consultations. The Medical Genetics Institute conducts teaching programs and an active residency training program, which is largely funded by numerous groups from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other sources interested in the genetic basis of many diseases.
Women's Guild Lung Institute
Director: Zab Mosenifar, MD
The Women's Guild Lung Institute offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care for diseases of the lungs, esophagus, chest wall, airways and mediastinum. Our highly responsive, multidisciplinary staff is dedicated to providing information, quality care and service to all who seek our care and counsel.
F. Widjaja Foundation Inflammatory Bowel and Immunobiology Research Institute
Director: Stephan Targan, MD
The Cedars-Sinai F. Widjaja Foundation Inflammatory Bowel and Immunobiology Research Institute is a multidisciplinary basic, translational and clinical research program devoted to mucosal inflammation. The Institute is the overarching administrative structure of three distinct yet highly interactive sub-units: IBD Clinical Care and Trials, Translational Research and Basic Science Laboratory Research. Investigations elucidate disease causes and courses, identify patients most likely to benefit from a certain treatment option, and lend clues for future drug development. In addition to the clinical and basic science activities, the IBIRI is positioned for fast discovery to unravel the complicated genetics of mucosal immunologic disorders.
Biomedical Imaging Research Institute
Director: Debiao Li, PhD
The Biomedical Imaging Research Institute (BIRI) is an interdisciplinary research program that was created with the purpose of conducting biomedical imaging research to address basic and clinical research questions, providing high quality biomedical imaging services for human and animal subjects, and providing education and training opportunities for students, postdoctoral research and clinical fellows. BIRI researchers develop and apply novel imaging techniques closely with investigators with diverse research interests throughout the medical center.
Geri and Richard Brawerman Nursing Institute
Director: Jane Swanson, RN, PhD
Cedars-Sinai founded the Geri and Richard Brawerman Nursing Institute in 2002 to help expand the supply of skilled nurses working in the Los Angeles region. The Institute seeks to attract more people to the profession and to increase the retention of nurses by providing resources for professional development. Since its inception, the institute has provided free educational programs and financial assistance to advance more than 1,100 nurses to associate's, bachelor's and master's degrees.
Diabetes & Obesity Research Institute
Director: Richard Bergman, PhD
The Cedars-Sinai Diabetes & Research Institute's goals are to examine ways to predict, prevent, treat and cure diabetes, obesity and associated conditions. It is now well accepted that diabetes is one of the most rapidly expanding chronic ailments in the United States and in many countries around the world. The investigators and staff, under the leadership of Dr. Richard Bergman, have amassed an outstanding list of accomplishments in understanding the pathogenesis of this disease. The research team's accomplishments include the development of the Minimal Model Approach for assessment of metabolic status, and the Disposition Index, the most powerful predictor of onset of type two diabetes. Other areas of research include the mechanisms of insulin resistance, the consequences of abdominal obesity, the metabolic effects of psychotropic medications and the use of mathematical modeling techniques to corroborate genetic loci, which contribute to the risk of developing diabetes. Current research initiatives include examining the relationship between sleep patterns and diabetes and understanding the mechanisms by which bariatric surgery reduces or even eliminates the diabetic condition.
The institute's world-class team is focused on leading-edge translational research with the intent of confronting and mitigating one of the most problematic diseases in the U.S.
