Eric Esrailian, MD, MPH

Dr. Esrailian is the Chief of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Dr. Esrailian has a particular interest in the development of biomedical innovations, value in health care, medical education, initiatives towards patient-centered care, and connections between health and human rights. In 2012, the School of Medicine awarded him the Lincy Foundation Chair in Clinical Gastroenterology. He is closely involved in the growth and strategy and strategic planning efforts for the UCLA Health System and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He also works to facilitate community engagement with several other schools and departments within the UCLA campus and its Los Angeles community partners, and he is a co-chair for the university’s Second Century Council. He is also an investor, entrepreneur, an Emmy-nominated film producer, and he is active in charitable projects around the world. Dr. Esrailian was named the 43rd Annual Lester Breslow Distinguished Scholar and Lecturer by the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. In 2017, the university designated Dr. Esrailian as a UCLA Optimist – among its notable alumni and faculty dedicated to solving the world’s problems. In 2021, he was also honored by Pope Francis at the Vatican with the Benemerenti Medal for his humanitarian activities around the world.