Shaping the Future of Pediatric Medicine

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• Joyce Pritchett- [email protected]

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• Stephanie Healey- [email protected]

Topics covered:

• Department of Pediatrics

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The University of California San Diego School of Medicine is pleased to announce Gary A. Silverman, MD, PhD, as the chair of the Department of Pediatrics, associate dean for children's academic programs at UC San Diego School of Medicine, and physician-in-chief and chief scientific officer at Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, effective April 1, 2026.

"Dr. Silverman brings exceptional leadership and vision to the Department of Pediatrics. His extensive experience in advancing academic pediatrics and building high-performing teams will be instrumental in shaping the department's future, fostering innovation in research, education and clinical care," said Barbara Jung, MD, associate vice chancellor and dean of the School of Medicine. "He is known for his poise, wit and relentless commitment to the care of children and the success of academic pediatrics. I am delighted that he is joining the School of Medicine leadership team."

Silverman earned his bachelor's degree from Washington & Jefferson College and his MD and PhD in immunology and pathology from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. He completed his residency training at Boston Children's Hospital and his neonatal-perinatal and postdoctoral fellowships at Washington University (WashU Medicine) in St. Louis.

Silverman's path to pediatrics was shaped by formative mentorship and a deepening interest in the intersection of research and patient care.

"I knew I wanted to go into science, and the MD/PhD pathway allowed me a variety of experiences. Alongside my mentor, I discovered that I really enjoyed the clinical care side of pediatrics and getting to know entire families, along with the research side," said Silverman. "With pediatric patients, especially neonatal patients, we have to consider how each treatment can impact children developmentally. The brain develops and changes so rapidly that treatment needed today may not be needed in two weeks because of the amount of growth taking place. We have a deep responsibility to be acutely aware of the developmental impact of the care we are giving."

A board-certified neonatal-perinatal medicine specialist and physician-scientist, Silverman has maintained continuous NIH funding since 1992. He is internationally recognized for his work in intracellular serpin biology and stress-activated cell-death pathways, including the discovery of lysoptosis. His laboratory uses preclinical C. elegans models to study human proteinopathies and other genetic diseases, enabling the development of a high-throughput live-animal screening platform for preclinical small-molecule drug discovery.

Silverman has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and more than 25 book chapters, and is a member of several national organizations, including the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, Society for Pediatric Research, American Pediatric Society and the American Association for Cancer Research. He is also a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Silverman joins UC San Diego from WashU Medicine where he served in several roles including chair of the Department of Pediatrics, the Harriet B. Spoehrer Professor of Pediatrics, and professor of genetics and cell biology and physiology. He was also pediatrician-in-chief at St. Louis Children's Hospital (SLCH) and executive director of the Children's Discovery Institute.

"We are looking forward to partnering with Dr. Silverman as he helps advance the department's scientific, educational and clinical prominence," said Patricia Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health. "His leadership will enhance integration across clinical care and research, expanding the impact of our health system for children and families throughout the region."

As department chair at WashU Medicine, Silverman led a comprehensive transformation of departmental leadership, governance and infrastructure. He recruited 14 new division chiefs and established seven vice chair positions. He also played a key role in modernizing promotion and appointment processes as well as conflict-of-interest policies. The department achieved substantial growth in research excellence, funding and national prominence, growing its total research funding from $31 million to $64 million. He led WashU Medicine's successful designation as both a Clinical Site and Model Organism Screening Core Center in the NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Network and launched six Pediatric Centers of Excellence through re-envisioning of the Children's Discovery Institute.

In collaboration with SLCH and WashU Medicine leadership, Silverman helped expand clinical operations, increasing faculty by 75% and annual ambulatory visits by more than 175%, while extending pediatric subspecialty care across Missouri and Illinois. Deeply committed to education and mentoring, Silverman strengthened residency, fellowship and physician-scientist training by expanding programs, enhancing curricula and creating structured research pathways that exceed national benchmarks for subspecialty training outcomes and faculty retention.

"I am looking forward to continuing the fantastic work that Dr. Haddad and the department have been undertaking over the last two decades," said Silverman. "There is incredible opportunity and potential for UC San Diego and Rady Children's Health to excel in pediatric research and clinical care which ultimately improves outcomes for all children and their families in San Diego and beyond."

Silverman's enthusiasm is shared by leaders at Rady Children's Health.

"Dr. Silverman's arrival represents an exciting opportunity to enhance the care we provide to our patients," said Patrick Frias, MD, co-president and chief executive officer for Rady Children's Health. "His expertise and innovative approach in pediatric medicine will directly benefit our patients and families. His commitment to driving innovative research and training the next generation of clinicians will help ensure children in our community receive the highest-quality care possible."

Outside of his professional activities, Silverman is incredibly proud of his wife, Trishelle, and family, including three adult children, two grandchildren, two cats and three dogs.