Cedars-Sinai Appoints Sumeet Chugh as Vice Dean & Chief AI Health Research Officer

Chugh also received the 2025 Distinguished Scientist Award for Clinical Science from the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) in San Diego.

Cedars-Sinai has announced the promotion of renowned cardiologist and researcher Sumeet Chugh, MD, to the role of Vice Dean and Chief Artificial Intelligence Health Research Officer.

Chugh, whose pioneering work in sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) prediction has transformed clinical practice, will now lead Cedars-Sinai's Artificial Intelligence in Medicine Research Center (AIMRC), helping integrate AI into clinical trials and patient care across departments.

This leadership appointment comes as Chugh receives the 2025 Distinguished Scientist Award for Clinical Science from the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), an honor recognizing his significant contributions to heart rhythm research and patient care.

The award was presented on April 26 at the Heart Rhythm 2025 conference in San Diego.

Recognized for Advancing Sudden Cardiac Arrest Research

Chugh, who holds the Pauline and Harold Price Chair in Cardiac Electrophysiology Research, has published more than 275 scientific papers.

He is internationally known for his work in improving the prediction and prevention of sudden cardiac arrest—a condition that causes the heart to stop abruptly and is often fatal.

According to the American Heart Association, over 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur annually in the U.S., with nearly 90% proving fatal.

Chugh's research team has made key advances in identifying early warning signs and refining patient selection for implantable defibrillators—a lifesaving intervention.

By integrating data from emergency medical services, medical records, and biological samples, his group has developed methods to forecast imminent cardiac arrest within hours to days of onset.

Their findings have led to the concept of "near-term prevention" of sudden cardiac arrest, shifting the paradigm from long-term risk assessment to actionable short-term predictions.

A Dual Focus on AI & Cardiology

Beyond cardiology, Chugh has emerged as a leader in artificial intelligence applications in medicine. He has effectively used AI to enhance the accuracy of sudden cardiac arrest prediction, combining data science with clinical insight.

In his new role as Vice Dean and Chief AI Health Research Officer, Chugh will spearhead efforts to translate AI research into real-world healthcare applications.

Under his leadership, AIMRC aims to support Cedars-Sinai researchers in integrating AI technologies into their investigative and clinical workflows.

"Dr. Chugh is a foremost investigator in both heart rhythm and AI research," said Jeffrey Golden, MD, Executive Vice Dean for Research and Education at Cedars-Sinai.

"His use of AI to assess the risk for sudden cardiac arrest has the potential to advance the field and save lives. We are eager for him to broaden his AI research experience to all areas of clinical care at Cedars-Sinai."

Chugh is a member of prestigious medical bodies, including the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians.

He has also served as president of the Association of University Cardiologists and the Cardiac Electrophysiology Society.

Chugh expressed gratitude upon receiving the award: "I'm grateful to the Heart Rhythm Society for this recognition of our work and accept it on behalf of my colleagues and mentees at Cedars-Sinai. Our team is motivated to make a real impact on this deadly condition."

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