Belmont University received a $1.5 million commitment from Drs. Michael and Rowena Dolor Cuffe to establish the Michael and Rowena Cuffe Endowed Professor of Health Research and Innovation.
The gift will be matched through the Johnson Academic Challenge, part of Belmont’s $700 million Hope Transforms fundraising campaign.
The endowed professorship will be based in the Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine and will include a secondary appointment connecting research and teaching across Belmont’s health sciences and business programs.
The faculty member holding the position will lead original research, develop interdisciplinary partnerships, and mentor future physicians and healthcare innovators.
Belmont said the position is intended to strengthen the university’s role as a health research and innovation hub in Nashville.
Michael Cuffe retired from HCA Healthcare in 2026 after 15 years with the company, most recently serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer.
He has served on Belmont’s Board of Trustees since 2023.
Rowena Dolor is Professor Emeritus of Medicine at Duke University, where she spent decades leading comparative effectiveness research in primary care settings.
She also served as an adjunct associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center from 2014 through 2026.
The Johnson Academic Challenge was established by Milton and Denice Johnson to provide matching support for endowed chairs and professorships across Belmont.
KEY QUOTES:
“Many of the challenges impacting our world do not fit neatly within a single discipline. Addressing them requires leaders who can connect discovery and innovation with practical solutions that create lasting impact. This professorship will allow Belmont to bring together expertise across health care and business, cultivating new ideas, preparing future leaders and advancing work that improves lives and strengthens communities.”
Greg Jones, President of Belmont University
“We believe Belmont is well positioned to make a difference in American medicine. Strengthening health research and innovation is essential to advancing healthcare.”
Drs. Michael and Rowena Dolor Cuffe
