UCLA Health has received a $2 million gift from the Jivrajka Family Foundation to establish an endowed chair aimed at advancing cardiovascular medicine, with a focus on prevention for South Asian and other high-risk populations. The newly created Jivrajka Family Foundation Chair will support specialized research, education, and outreach efforts.
Dr. Ravi H. Dave, who directs interventional cardiology, the Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program, and the UCLA Health South Asian Heart Program, has been named the inaugural holder of this chair. The initiative is intended to address health disparities among South Asians, who are statistically more likely to develop risk factors such as diabetes and heart disease earlier in life compared to other groups.
“UCLA Health and the David Geffen School of Medicine are grateful for the generosity and vision of the Jivrajka Family Foundation and its president, Dr. Vinod Jivrajka,” said Dr. Steven Dubinett, dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. “Their visionary support will improve cardiovascular health, care and quality of life for at-risk populations.”
South Asians account for more than half of cardiovascular deaths worldwide. The new chair aims to increase access to care while developing culturally informed strategies to better reach communities most at risk.
“This chair supports the division’s efforts to develop individualized approaches to high-risk populations with coronary artery disease and other cardiovascular conditions; build a research team to better understand the genetic and environmental factors contributing to cardiovascular disease in at-risk populations; and develop targeted cardiovascular therapies including holistic approaches,” said Dr. Priscilla Hsue, chief of the division of cardiology. “I am delighted that Dr. Dave is leading these efforts.”
“I am honored by the trust the Jivrajka family has placed in UCLA Health,” Dave said. “Their determination to improve the cardiovascular health within at-risk communities is enabling us to deliver care where it is needed most.”
The Jivrajka Family Foundation was established in 2024 by Drs. Jayashree and Vinod Jivrajka, both originally from Mumbai, India. Vinod Jivrajka is an interventional cardiologist who founded Episource LLC and co-founded AppleCare Medical Group; Jayashree Jivrajka is an internist dedicated to improving access to care.
“It gives us great pride to be able to support UCLA Health’s mission to expand, disseminate and apply knowledge for global betterment of health: education, research and public service,” Vinod Jivrajka said. “We appreciate the dedication of Dr. Dave and his team and their ability to bring access to and improve care of high-risk communities.”
The couple’s connection with UCLA extends through their three children who completed higher education there.
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