Private support is helping West Virginia University School of Medicine professor Dr. George Sokos build on a legacy of excellence while advancing cardiovascular care, research, and education for patients across West Virginia.
Sokos serves as medical director of the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute's Advanced Heart Failure Program and the Abnash C. Jain Chair of Cardiology. The chair honors the late Dr. Abnash C. Jain, who served as chief of cardiology at the WVU School of Medicine for nearly three decades.
A pioneer of cardiovascular care in West Virginia, Jain trained generations of physicians, helped establish the foundation of today's WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, and championed preventive care to improve the health of West Virginians.
"The Abnash C. Jain Chair reflects his legacy of education and dedication to the patients of West Virgina," Dr. Vinay Badhwar, executive chair of the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute and Gordon F. Murray Professor and Chair at the WVU School of Medicine, said. "Dr. Sokos is building on Dr. Jain's extraordinary contributions while furthering his commitment to preventative care."
For Sokos, the recent appointment is both a professional milestone and a deeply personal responsibility.
“It means a lot to me to follow in Dr. Jain’s footsteps,” Sokos said. “His impact on cardiovascular care in West Virginia is immeasurable. I want to honor his legacy and make sure I live up to the expectations associated with his name.”
A native of Wheeling, Sokos always envisioned returning home. Though his training and career took him to Pittsburgh and the Cleveland Clinic, his ties to West Virginia remained strong. When the opportunity arose to return and help build WVU Medicine’s heart failure and transplant programs, he saw a chance to give back to the state that shaped him.
“There is a tremendous need for cardiovascular care in West Virginia,” he said. “Being able to come back here and help people, especially in more rural communities, has been incredibly rewarding.”
Sokos has witnessed significant growth in cardiovascular services, including the expansion of the heart transplant program. Before its establishment, patients requiring a transplant had to leave the state.
Looking ahead, Sokos sees tremendous opportunity for West Virginia to become a national leader in rural cardiovascular care.
He is helping lead those conversations on a national scale through his work with the American College of Cardiology, where he chairs a rural health subgroup focused on health equity.
“When people talk about cardiovascular care in rural areas, we want WVU to be part of that conversation,” Sokos said.
Private support plays a critical role in making that vision possible.
According to Sokos, philanthropic investments support innovative research, remote patient monitoring initiatives, and partnerships across the Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy aimed at improving care in underserved communities.
“Many research studies simply wouldn’t happen without charitable support,” he said. “It allows us to pursue innovative ideas and address challenges that are unique to our patients and our state.”
Beyond research, Sokos is focused on prevention. West Virginia continues to face some of the nation’s highest rates of cardiovascular disease, making early intervention a priority for the Department of Cardiology.
By expanding prevention efforts, recruiting talented clinicians and researchers, and increasing access to specialized care, he hopes to improve outcomes for generations of West Virginians.
For Sokos, the mission is ultimately about people — patients who can stay close to home for care, communities that deserve access to world-class treatment, and donors whose generosity helps make innovation possible.
“Your support allows us to provide high-level, innovative care to patients throughout West Virginia,” he said. “It enables us to advance research, improve patient care, and become leaders not only within our state, but across the nation and around the world. We are deeply grateful.”
The Abnash C. Jain Chair of Cardiology was established through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of WVU and its affiliated entities.
For more information on the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute, visit WVUMedicine.org/Heart.
For more information on the WVU Department of Cardiology, visit medicine.wvu.edu/cardiology.