Dr. Jeffrey Towbin Announces Retirement from Le Bonheur Children's Hospital
In the past 23 years, Dr. Towbin led three different Divisions of Pediatric Cardiology, including the Heart Center at Texas Children's Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine, the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the Heart Institute at Le Bonheur / UT Health Science Center, with each of these programs attaining top three to 10 U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) rankings.
Dr. Towbin's leadership has led to the immense growth of Le Bonheur's Heart Institute and its programs, including the recruitment of over 40 top-tier cardiologists, the development of nationally recognized subspecialty programs, a cardiac advanced practice provider program and the creation of a Heart Institute expansion, including creation of a 31-bed Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) and a state-of-the-art Cardiac MRI/Cath Lab suite.
During his 10-year tenure at Le Bonheur, he led the Heart Institute to a top 10 ranking by U.S. News & World Report, recognition by the Pediatric Heart Transplant Society as a Vanguard Center of Excellence and recognition by the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association (HCMA) and Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation (CCF) as a Recognized Center of Excellence. He was also the first recipient of the Bob and Paula McEniry Endowed Chair of Cardiology at Le Bonheur and was also the recipient of the St. Jude Endowed Chair of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Research. Dr. Towbin developed the Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program at Le Bonheur, created the first Molecular Cardiology Laboratories at UT Health Science Center and developed the Cardiovascular Genetics Program at Le Bonheur and the Cardio-Oncology Program at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Academically, Dr. Towbin had over 600 peer-reviewed publications, the highest impact factors within UT Health Science Center, held many National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants over his career and received many local, national and international awards. The awards include but are not limited to the 2025 American College of Cardiology (ACC) Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2024 Distinguished Heart Hero Award from the American Heart Association (AHA) Centennial Celebration, the 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery (AAP-SOCCS) Helen B. Taussig Founder's Award, the 2022 Stanford University's List of the World's Top 2% Scientists, the 2017 Distinguished Scientist of the AHA Award, the 2013 AHA Basic Research Prize, the 2007 ACC Distinguished Scientist (Basic Science) Award, the 1993 Young Investigator Award at the AAP-SOCCS and the 1991 Richard D. Rowe Perinatal Cardiology Research Award from the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR).
From a teaching and mentoring perspective, Dr. Towbin has mentored more than 40 fellows and faculty members that have become Chiefs of Pediatric Cardiology, Department Chairs of Pediatrics and Deans of Medical Schools. Further, Dr. Towbin has been an invited speaker at countless national and international conferences and many guest professorships. Further, Dr. Towbin is a Fellow of multiple organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP), the American College of Cardiology (FACC), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the Heart Failure Society of America (FHFSA).
About Le Bonheur Children'sLe Bonheur Children's, based in Memphis, Tenn., provides expert care for children in more than 45 pediatric subspecialties, encompassing robust community programs, a pediatric research institute and regional outpatient centers in Jackson, Tenn., Tupelo, Miss., and Jonesboro, Ark. Le Bonheur also features a 290-bed hospital in Memphis and a 21-bed satellite hospital within Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Jackson, Tenn. As the primary pediatric teaching affiliate for the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Le Bonheur trains more than 350 pediatricians and specialists each year. Nationally recognized, Le Bonheur has been named a U.S. News & World Report Best Children's Hospital for 14 consecutive years and is a Magnet-designated facility, the ultimate credential for high-quality patient care and nursing excellence.
For more information, please call (901) 287-6030 or visit lebonheur.org. Connect with us at facebook.com/lebonheurchildrens, twitter.com/lebonheurchild or on Instagram at lebonheurchildrens.
Contact:David HensonDavid.Henson@lebonheur.org423-304-9400
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