Theodore “Ted” DeWeese, a renowned radiation oncologist who has served as dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine on an interim basis since the summer of 2022, has been appointed to the role on a permanent basis, the university announced today.
DeWeese was selected as the 15th dean of the medical faculty and the third CEO of Hopkins Medicine following a comprehensive global search for a leader with “the requisite vision, dedication, and humanity to chart a sound course for the future of our institution,” JHU President Ron Daniels wrote in a message to the Hopkins community.
DeWeese was appointed interim dean and CEO in 2022 by Daniels and the Johns Hopkins Medicine board of trustees, following the retirement of Paul B. Rothman.
“The best evidence of future performance is past performance,” Daniels wrote. “Over the past 18 months, Ted stepped into the role of interim dean and delivered a staggering record of accomplishment, setting Johns Hopkins Medicine on the path to financial transformation, ensuring greater faculty compensation, and launching our reimagination of the life and basic sciences at Johns Hopkins. He has done so with high standards, bold vision, deep understanding of the practice and purpose of medicine, a joy in discovery, and a palpable love of this place and its exceptional people.”
As dean of the School of Medicine, DeWeese is responsible for leading a globally renowned center for research and academic medicine, with faculty, staff, learners, and trainees who are all poised to shape the future of health care globally. As CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine, an institution that employs more than 40,000 people, DeWeese—in partnership with Kevin Sowers, executive vice president for Johns Hopkins Medicine and president of the Johns Hopkins Health System—steers a world-acclaimed network of six hospitals, 39 outpatient primary health care sites, and multiple suburban health care and surgery centers across three states and the District of Columbia. Johns Hopkins Medicine’s global reach includes numerous hospital management, consulting, and clinical education services operating in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
“I am honored and humbled to be entrusted with this role,” DeWeese said. “Every day, I am inspired by the talent, dedication, and heart demonstrated by members of the Johns Hopkins Medicine community. Each of us supports our mission in thousands of unique ways, and we are all united in a common goal: to advance health care and to change lives. We are dedicated to improving health outcomes not only on a global scale but also bettering the lives of Hopkins’ neighbors in Baltimore and all the communities we are a part of. We are intent on cultivating diverse perspectives and engaging those who have been underrepresented in medicine and science, so that we can achieve health equity for the most vulnerable populations. Johns Hopkins Medicine is a beacon globally, nationally, and locally for medical and biomedical discovery, outstanding patient care, and innovative medical education, and it is thrilling to be given the opportunity and responsibility of leading such a revered and impactful institution.”
During his tenure as interim dean and CEO, DeWeese has elevated the renewal and modernization of Johns Hopkins Medicine’s facilities to keep pace with the cutting-edge research and educational needs of faculty, staff, and students. At the heart of that work is a new Life Sciences Corridor, an innovative interdivisional ecosystem for basic biomedical research. This new effort is complementary to the ongoing development of a 12-story research tower at the site of the former Johns Hopkins Hospital Children’s Medical and Surgical Center, which will house the Health Sciences, including basic science, translation, and computational biology labs. The first wing of the new Health Sciences Building is slated to open in 2024.
“Ted has the experience needed for the scale and complexity of this job. No one else has his breadth,” said Mayo Shattuck, chair of the Johns Hopkins Medicine board of trustees. “He knows that the academic medical center model needs a paradigm shift, as does health care more globally. From evolving Johns Hopkins Medicine to cross disciplinary boundaries and to find new methods of collaborative work, to driving AI adoption and improving and advancing patient care, Ted has a vision for the future of the institution—and of medicine—that is unparalleled.”
DeWeese was “by the far the strongest candidate all around,” said JHU Provost Ray Jayawardhana, who co-led the search for Hopkins Medicine’s next dean and CEO along with Shattuck. “In addition to his tremendous institutional knowledge and a deep commitment to seeing the essential transformation through to success, Ted combines savvy implementation with a willingness to pursue bold moves to sustain Johns Hopkins Medicine’s preeminence.”
That signature combination of level-headed pragmatism and bold action is a hallmark of DeWeese’s career. He first joined the Johns Hopkins Hospital as a radiation oncology resident in 1991, after receiving his MD from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He went on to become the founding director of the School of Medicine’s Department of Radiation Oncology, a role he held for 15 years, overseeing multiple clinical trials and growing the department into a diverse, supportive environment for faculty and students. In 2018, DeWeese became vice dean of clinical affairs and, in July 2022, stepped up as interim dean of the School of Medicine and CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine.
DeWeese, who grew up in public housing in Denver, shared that he never expected to go to college, let alone scale the ranks of academic medicine to lead Johns Hopkins Medicine.
“It was certainly against all odds, but that’s part of the magic of this place,” DeWeese said. “Johns Hopkins inspires us to contribute more than we dreamed possible.”
In the coming months, DeWeese will embark on a listening tour to develop multiyear strategic priorities in collaboration with faculty, staff, students, patients, and members of the communities served by Johns Hopkins Medicine, in Baltimore and beyond. The approach reflects DeWeese’s unshakable dedication to community-forward leadership.
“What sets Johns Hopkins Medicine apart is our people: We are a global community of researchers, clinicians, staff, and students dedicated to providing exceptional care and pushing the boundaries of science and medicine,” DeWeese said. “It is my honor to help sustain and grow Johns Hopkins as a leading voice for human health. And I am thoroughly confident we will achieve that goal.”
About Johns Hopkins Medicine
Johns Hopkins Medicine, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, is renowned for its commitment to improving global health through excellence in medical education, research, and clinical care. It’s a diverse and inclusive institution, focusing on educating medical students, scientists, healthcare professionals, and the public. They conduct significant biomedical research and provide patient-centered medicine aimed at preventing, diagnosing, and treating human illness. Annually, it caters to over 2.8 million patients and manages nearly 337,000 emergency room visits. The institution includes six academic and community hospitals, four suburban healthcare and surgery centers, over 40 patient care locations, a home care group, and an international division. Johns Hopkins Medicine integrates the operations and planning of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine with the Johns Hopkins Health System and Hospital, fostering an environment where students and professionals work alongside Nobel laureates, Lasker Award winners, and National Academy of Science members
About Theodore DeWeese
Dr. Theodore Leslie DeWeese is a distinguished figure at Johns Hopkins Medicine, serving as the Dean of the Medical Faculty and CEO. He is also the Sidney Kimmel Professor of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, with additional professorial roles in oncology and urology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His clinical expertise centers on prostate cancer, radiation oncology, and urological oncology.
Dr. DeWeese’s research is groundbreaking, focusing on enhancing radiation-induced killing of prostate cancer cells, developing prostate cancer-targeted RNA molecules, and modulating androgen receptor signaling. He notably led the development of the first adenoviral gene therapy trial for prostate cancer. His academic credentials include an M.D. from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and a residency in Radiation Oncology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was also a chief resident.
He has been involved with several professional organizations, including serving as President and Chair of the Board for the American Society for Radiation Oncology, and has received multiple awards and honors for his contributions
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