Mark Zeidel

Dr. Zeidel is the Herrman L. Blumgart Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and chair of the department of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston. He is known as a productive and highly original scientist, an innovative educator, and a leader in improving the quality of healthcare. He has made many seminal observations in the field of nephrology: defining the role of atrial peptides in renal salt excretion, characterizing the biophysical function of water channels and barrier membranes, and advancing urothelial cell biology.

His innovations in teaching physiology include an animated textbook; novel, nationally known courses at the Mount Desert Island Biology Laboratories; and an upcoming series of review articles in his field’s major clinical journal. He has pioneered the provision of reliable, cost-effective care, both at the University of Pittsburgh and BIDMC. His leadership led to BIDMC’s achievement of outstanding clinical outcomes, which have been recognized by the American Hospital Association, Society for Critical Care Medicine, and US Department of Health and Human Services. He also pushed the BIDMC medicine department to develop an innovative curriculum in quality improvement for its residents and fellows.

Dr. Zeidel has served on many regional and national committees and in leadership roles in national organizations. In these positions, he has helped define how residency education can be funded in academic medical centers, how mentorship can be improved for future clinical investigators, and how departments of medicine can lead in improving the quality of care.

Dr. Zeidel received his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He served as an intern and resident in medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, followed by a renal fellowship at the same institution. He came to BIDMC in July 2005 from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. His tenure at the University of Pittsburgh spanned 12 years, first serving as chief of the renal and electrolyte division, and then as the Jack D. Myers Professor and chair of the department of medicine. As chair of that department, he implemented a new curriculum to enhance the teaching of residents and fellows.