Howard University College of Medicine Center of Excellence (CoE)

Biography

Kanwal K. Gambhir, a 1973 Ph.D. (Clinical Biochemist) graduate of State U. NY at Buffalo, is an established investigator & tenured Professor, in the Endocrinology and Metabolism division of the Department of Medicine. Dr. Gambhir serves as the director of the basic science research for medical, graduate students and junior faculty of the Department of Medicine, Howard U College of Medicine (HUCM) & H.U. Hospital.

He has been teaching residents, medical and graduate students for many years. He has been the major advisor for both master and doctorate students. Several of his students are now faculty members in the U.S. and abroad. He chairs the Department of Medicine (since 2002) and served as the chair (2012-15&2020-21) for HUCM Collegewide Appointment, Promotion and Tenure Committees. He was responsible for streamlining academic advancement criteria for the HUCM faculty.

He has been a consistent contributor to HUCM admission committee for admitting African American students over the years. Dr. Gambhir pioneered the development of human erythrocyte insulin receptor (IR)assay requiring milliliters of blood and thus, replaced monocyte IR assessment (which needed pints of blood). This revolutionized this research field and carried Howard's banner worldwide. He published his research; about 45 papers and 60 abstracts in the journals of merit.

Dr. Gambhir was inducted (first Ph.D. inductee) in Alpha, Omega, Alpha, Medical Honor Society in 2010. His recent research interest includes the development of Erythrocytes miRNA as biomarkers of type II diabetes, and their ageing in African American Adults. He chairs the Advisory Board of the CoE and serves as a mentor to junior faculty members. Above all, Dr. Gambhir thanks the family environment of Howard and his God which enabled him to achieve this success.