Contact
Roles
Professor of Clinical Surgery
David Kimmelman Endowed Chair in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
Secondary Appointment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
-
Biography
Omaida C. Velazquez, M.D., F.A.C.S., Professor of Surgery, University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine; David Kimmelman Endowed Chair in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, University of Miami
Dr. Omaida Velazquez is a nationally and internationally renowned surgeon-scientist, recognized within her field and the broader community of physician scientists, as seen by her induction into the American Society for Clinical Investigators (ASCI). Her seminal contributions in pre-clinical and clinical research are numerous. Her preclinical research centers on stem cells and angiogenesis, wound healing, atherosclerosis, critical limb ischemia (CLI) and limb salvage, all related to peripheral vascular disease (PVD) and vascular complications of Diabetes. Her team publishes in high-impact journals such as Stem Cells, Journal Clinical Investigation, Mol Cell Biol, Atherosclerosis, and PLoS One. She has continuous NIH funding for 20 years. Her discoveries yielded several patents with great translational potential and discovered mechanisms for homing and pro-repair functions of stem cells in post-natal revascularization of ischemic tissue.
Seminal findings from Dr. Velazquez’s research laboratory have paved the way to novel cell-based and gene therapy clinical trials for Peripheral Vascular Disease, CLI, and diabetic non-healing wounds. These unsolved pathologies account for over 100 thousand amputations in the USA annually. Recently, Velazquez’s work led to the development of a new gene therapy, now under pre-clinical testing, that may one day eradiate most amputations. In regards to clinical research (published in the top Surgery journals, such as Annals of Surgery and Journal of Vascular Surgery), she has advanced endovascular treatments for aneurysmal disease. Velazquez’s work is highly quoted, accounting for an h-index of 43. Her contributions promise to revolutionize care for several unsolved vascular diseases and her leadership as an academic surgeon and in the broader field of academic medicine is greatly valued as evidenced by her appointment as the first Latina Chair and Surgeon-in-Chief in the USA.
Prior to her appointment as Surgeon-in-Chief, Dr. Velazquez served as the Executive Dean of Research, Research Education and Innovative Medicine for the Miller School of Medicine from 2012 to 2015. Under her leadership, investigators across campus acknowledged her contributions to the basic and clinical research infrastructure enhancement; administrative processes were de-mystified with full transparency and accountability. Interdepartmental as well as departments-to-institutes communications and collaborations were dramatically increased.
From 2015 to 2023, under Dr. Velazquez’s leadership as Surgery Chair and Surgeon-in-Chief, surgical clinical and academic missions have expanded rapidly, aided by synergistic partnerships with multiple health systems, tremendously successful philanthropic efforts, interdepartmental and department-institute collaborations, and strategic recruitments of highly diverse and talented faculty. Under her leadership, the NIH Blue Ridge rank of the Department of Surgery at the University of Miami soared from 27 in 2015 to top 11 in 2019 among academic surgery departments in the USA.
Dr. Velazquez obtained her B.S. from Stevens Institute of Technology in 1987 and obtained an M.D. degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School graduating Valedictorian in her class of 1991. She completed her post-graduate training in General and Vascular Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her clinical training, she pursued additional years in research at the University of Pennsylvania and was the recipient of the 1997 Jonathan E. Rhoads Research Award. She also received the von Liebig Foundation Award for Excellence in Vascular Surgical Research (2001), the University of Pennsylvania Center of Excellence Faculty Scholar Award (2002), and the Joel J. Roslyn Faculty Research Award (2003). Before joining the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Dr. Velazquez served on the faculty at the University of Pennsylvania for eight years and became an Associate Professor with tenure. Throughout her illustrious career to-date, she has remained double-certified by the American Board of Surgery in both General Surgery and Vascular/Endovascular Surgery. And she has remained an active contributor in all academic pillars: administrative, research, education, and clinical services. Dr. Velazquez’s successes in philanthropic efforts, hospital collaborations, and strong community presence have served as catalysts to the rapid growth in reputation and impact for her academic institution, regionally, nationally, and across the Americas. -
Education & Training
Education
Post Graduate Training
Licensures and Certifications
-
Honors & Awards
No result found
-
Publications
Disclaimer: The information presented in this section has been consolidated using AI and machine learning technologies. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, errors may occur. If you identify any inaccuracies, please use this link to inform our data team. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and helps us improve the quality of our content.