Jaideep Behari, MD, PhD, has been appointed chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition in the University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine, effective August 1, 2026, following a national search.
An internationally recognized transplant hepatologist and physician-scientist, Behari’s research focuses on metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). He has served as principal investigator for more than 20 clinical trials evaluating novel therapies for MASLD and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), and he leads an NIH-funded clinical study to identify biomarkers of disease progression. His research also includes developing precision medicine approaches through integrated digital and biomimetic twin platforms in collaboration with investigators across the University of Pittsburgh, while leading population health initiatives to improve care for patients with MASLD.
Behari earned his medical degree from the University of Rajasthan in India and his PhD in Genetics from the University of Georgia. He completed postdoctoral research training at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School before completing his internal medicine residency at the University of Massachusetts and his senior residency and gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. He joined the Pitt faculty in 2006, where he has served as associate director of the Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, director of the UPMC Liver Steatosis and Metabolic Wellness Program, and director of translational research for hepatology within the Division.
During his tenure as interim chief, Behari has provided collaborative leadership while advancing the Division’s clinical, research, and educational missions. His appointment as chief marks the next chapter in the Division’s continued growth and leadership in digestive and liver diseases.