Nationally Recognized Physician-Scientist to Lead at OU Health, OU College of Medicine

After a nationwide search, Dr. Isabella Grumbach, M.D., Ph.D., was named Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and Clinical Service Chief at OU Health. In addition to her clinical responsibilities with OU Health, she will have educational and research responsibilities for the university, driving the academic health system’s three-part mission of clinical care, research and education.

Grumbach is a nationally recognized physician-scientist in cardiovascular medicine. She will begin her role in Oklahoma in July 2025.

"Dr. Grumbach has built a career as a bona fide ‘triple threat’ physician-scientist and leader," said Dr. Ian Dunn, M.D., FACS, FAAN, executive dean of the OU College of Medicine. "Her deep credibility and expertise in the clinical, research, and educational missions will help drive our academic health system forward.”

At the University of Iowa, Grumbach has served in several key leadership positions, including interim chair of Internal Medicine, vice chair of Research, chief of Cardiology at the Iowa City VA Medical Center, and associate director of the Cardiovascular Fellowship program. Her multidisciplinary research program has earned international recognition in the field of cardiovascular medicine.

Her research, supported by multiple National Institutes of Health grants and a VA Merit Award, focuses on signaling pathways in atherosclerosis and vascular disease, as well as radiation effects on the vasculature. A University of Iowa Distinguished Scholar, Grumbach has held national leadership roles in the American Heart Association and is a member of the Association of University Cardiologists.

"Dr. Grumbach’s extensive expertise and dedication to research, education and patient care align perfectly with our mission as the state’s flagship academic health system, said OU Health President and CEO Dr. Richard Lofgren, M.D., MPH, FACP. “Internal medicine specialists, with their deep understanding of complex diseases, play a vital role in guiding patients through effective management strategies. Dr. Grumbach’s leadership will further enhance our ability to provide comprehensive, evidence-driven care for the most complex conditions, while also serving as a safety net for our community, underscoring our commitment to being a destination health system that excels in both specialized and accessible care."

Grumbach received a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and a doctoral degree in neuroanatomy (Ph.D.) from Ruhr University Medical School in Bochum, Germany. She completed her internal medicine residency at Georg-August-University Medical Center in Göttingen, Germany, and at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, followed by a cardiovascular medicine fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta.

Grumbach succeeds Dr. Michael Bronze, who concludes an extraordinary 25-year tenure as department chair.