Dr Robert M Califf MD MACC
Robert McKinnon Califf will be awarded a Doctor of Medicine (MD) on Tuesday 2 December 2025 during the morning ceremony.
Dr Califf is an American cardiologist, clinical researcher and public health leader whose career spans academic, industry and federal regulation, and who has served as Commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Born in 1951 in South Carolina, he studied at the Duke University School of Medicine and returned there for a fellowship in cardiology following a residency at University of California.
Dr Califf served as founding director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) and as Vice-Chancellor for clinical and translational research. His leadership there helped to shape large-scale clinical trials and evidence-based medicine, earning him recognition as one of the most-cited authors in biomedical science.
In January 2015, he joined the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as Deputy Commissioner for Medical Products and Tobacco and in February 2016 he was confirmed as Commissioner, having been nominated by President Barack Obama, a post he held until January 2017.
He returned to the FDA in February 2022 under the Joe Biden administration, leading the agency at a time of intensified focus on medical product innovation and public health regulatory challenges. Between his regulatory terms, he also served in senior roles in industry affiliated research and technology.
Throughout his career, Dr Califf has been deeply committed to improving healthcare quality, advancing clinical research infrastructure and ensuring that scientific advances translate into meaningful patient outcomes. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and has served on numerous advisory panels and committees shaping national health policy and regulation.
As a clinician, educator, researcher and policymaker, Dr Califf’s contributions reflect the ideal of bridging science with service, with sustained impact in medicine and public health leadership.