Dr. Salim Hayek, chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), has been elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), one of the nation’s most prestigious medical honor societies for physician-scientists.
Founded in 1908, the ASCI elects physician-scientists age 50 or younger in recognition of their significant research achievements and impact achieved. Its membership includes Nobel laureates, Lasker Award winners, and members of the National Academy of Medicine.
Hayek's laboratory identified soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) as a molecule released by a dysfunctional immune system that directly injures both the heart and kidneys. This discovery revealed a previously unrecognized mechanism driving both cardiovascular and kidney disease, opening the door to an entirely new class of therapeutics that target the shared immune dysfunction underlying these conditions.
“I got into this work because I wanted to understand why inflammation drives so much damage across the heart and kidneys, and then do something about it,” Hayek said. “This election means a great deal to me, but it really belongs to the team we've built. It pushes us to keep going and to get these discoveries out of the lab and into treatments that make a difference for our patients.”
Separately, Hayek’s research in cardio-oncology focuses on improving cardiovascular outcomes in cancer patients, including the identification and management of heart complications caused by immunotherapy drugs and the development of risk stratification approaches for patients undergoing cancer therapy. So far, Hayek has authored more than 230 peer-reviewed publications with more than 24,000 citations, reflecting the broad impact of his scientific contributions.
“Dr. Hayek’s election to the ASCI reflects the caliber of translational science at UTMB and the growing strength of our physician-scientist community,” said Dr. Jochen Reiser, president of UTMB and CEO of the UTMB Health System. “His suPAR work has opened new avenues for understanding and treating cardiovascular and kidney disease, and his leadership of our Department of Internal Medicine is accelerating the integration of discovery and patient care across our health system.”
Hayek’s election makes him only the fourth active physician-scientist at UTMB to hold ASCI membership, joining Reiser; Dr. Antonio Bianco, senior vice president of Health Affairs, dean of the John Sealy School of Medicine, and chief research officer; and Dr. Randall Urban, vice president and director of the Institute for Translational Sciences.
Hayek leads the largest UTMB academic department, overseeing faculty, trainees, and multidisciplinary teams across multiple campuses. Prior to joining UTMB, he served as medical director of the University of Michigan Health Frankel Cardiovascular Center.
Hayek will be formally inducted at the joint meeting of the ASCI, the Association of American Physicians, and the American Physician Scientists Association on April 17, 2026.
The ASCI is a nonprofit medical honor society composed of 3,500 physician-scientists across all medical specialties. Members are nominated and elected by their peers for having accomplished meritorious original, creative, and independent investigations in the clinical or allied sciences of medicine.