Cardiovascular disease remains one of the most important challenges in modern medicine, and Dr. Susan Cheng, MD, MMSc, MPH, has built her career around improving the understanding, prevention and treatment of heart disease. A clinician-scientist at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, California, Cheng is recognized for research examining cardiovascular health, risk factors and differences in how heart disease affects patients.
In March 2026, Cedars-Sinai announced that Dr. Cheng had been appointed chair of the Department of Cardiology at the Smidt Heart Institute. The appointment places her in a significant leadership role at one of the United States’ leading cardiovascular centers.
Combining Research With Patient Care
Cheng’s career reflects the modern physician-scientist model. Rather than focusing exclusively on clinical care or laboratory research, she has worked to connect scientific discoveries with the everyday challenges faced by patients.
Her research has explored cardiovascular risk, aging and the factors that influence heart health across different populations. This work is important because cardiovascular disease does not affect every patient in exactly the same way. Understanding differences in risk can help physicians move toward more personalized prevention and treatment strategies.
At Cedars-Sinai, Cheng has become part of a broader effort to expand cardiovascular research while improving clinical care. Her appointment as department chair gives her an opportunity to help shape both the scientific and clinical direction of cardiology.
Advancing Cardiovascular Research
One of the notable aspects of Cheng’s work is her emphasis on identifying cardiovascular risk earlier. Research into factors such as genetics, lifestyle, aging and other biological characteristics can help researchers better understand why some people develop cardiovascular disease while others do not.
This type of research is increasingly important as medicine moves toward prevention rather than waiting until serious disease develops. Better identification of risk can give physicians opportunities to intervene earlier through monitoring, lifestyle changes and appropriate medical treatment.
Cheng’s work also reflects the growing importance of collaboration in modern medicine. Today’s cardiovascular advances increasingly involve cardiologists working alongside researchers in genetics, data science, imaging and other fields.
A New Leadership Chapter
As chair of the Cedars-Sinai Department of Cardiology, Cheng is positioned to influence the next generation of cardiovascular research and clinical practice. Her combination of scientific expertise and clinical experience provides a strong foundation for that responsibility.
Her appointment comes at an exciting time for cardiovascular medicine. New technologies, improved imaging, personalized risk assessment and data-driven medicine are changing how heart disease is detected and treated.
Dr. Susan Cheng’s career demonstrates the value of combining scientific curiosity with patient-centered medicine. Through her research, clinical work and new leadership role at Cedars-Sinai, she represents the kind of physician helping shape the future of cardiovascular care in the United States.
