Leena Nahata, MD, has been named associate chief clinical research officer for training and career development at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Leena Nahata, MD, has been named associate chief clinical research officer for training and career development at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
A board-certified pediatric endocrinologist, Dr. Nahata is associate division chief for research in the Division of Endocrinology and an NIH-funded principal investigator in the Center for Biobehavioral Health, where her research focuses on improving reproductive and psychosocial outcomes in populations at risk for infertility. She also is a professor of Clinical Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
She is currently the principal investigator of an R01 grant funded by the National Cancer Institute, has published more than 165 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts, and served as the co-director of the post-baccalaureate training program in the Center for Biobehavioral Health from 2017-2026.
In her new role, Dr. Nahata will provide strategic leadership for clinical research training, education, and career development for trainees and clinician-scientists across Nationwide Children’s.
She will work closely with hospital and research leaders to strengthen training programs, support development, and foster a skilled and innovative clinical research workforce. Dr. Nahata also will help advance partnerships with The Ohio State University Clinical and Translational Science Institute to expand opportunities for medical trainees and faculty.
“Dr. Nahata brings extensive expertise in research mentorship and evidence-based clinical research. These new responsibilities align well with her longstanding dedication toward cultivating the next generation of clinical research leaders,” said Cynthia Gerhardt, PhD, chief clinical research officer at Nationwide Children’s.
Dr. Nahata will report to Dr. Gerhardt and work collaboratively with fellow Office of Clinical Research faculty, Jennifer Muszynski, MD, associate chief clinical research officer for research informatics, and Sarah O’Brien, MD, MSc, associate chief clinical research officer for pediatric trials. Key partnerships will also include the Nationwide Children’s Center for Faculty Development led by Elizabeth Bonachea, MD; Clinical Research Services led by Myeshia Harmon, MHA, CCRP, PRAM; and the associate division chiefs for research.
“Integrating clinical care and research is at the core of the Nationwide Children’s strategic plan,” noted Dennis Durbin, MD, MSCE, president, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s. “Working collaboratively, our physician-scientists and the entire clinical research team will advance our commitment to innovative and impactful research that improves child health outcomes.”