School of Medicine & Health Sciences and Sanford Health name Cornelius Dyke the inaugural Wadhwani Family Endowed Chair of Translational Research
GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The search is complete.
In their continuing efforts to transform North Dakota’s biomedical research capacity, UND’s School of Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS) and Sanford Health have named Dr. Cornelius "Mac" Dyke the School’s inaugural Wadhwani Family Endowed Chair of Translational Research.
“I am deeply grateful to Dr. Gopal Das and the Wadhwani Family for their vision and generosity in establishing this endowment, which represents a remarkable commitment to advancing scientific discovery and improving patient care,” said Dyke, referencing the position’s namesake. “It is an extraordinary honor to be named the Wadhwani Family Endowed Chair of Translational Research at UND.”
The new position allows the University to do all of the above via stronger partnerships with healthcare systems across North Dakota – Sanford Health in particular.
“The Wadhwani Family Endowed Chair of Translational Research at UND is a pivotal advancement for Sanford Health. It strengthens our partnership with UND, enhances our research infrastructure, and accelerates the translation of discoveries into clinical care,” explained Doug Griffin, M.D., chief physician at Sanford Fargo. “This role fosters collaboration between Sanford clinicians and UND faculty, enriching opportunities for our medical students, residents, fellows, and research staff. It also elevates Sanford’s and UND’s shared mission to improve health through innovation, education, and evidence-based practice.”
Referencing his longtime colleague, Griffin added that Dyke “is well equipped to assume this role, given his long-standing commitment to patient care, medical education, and scientific research.”
From bench to bedside
In October 2021, Dr. Gopal Das established the Wadhwani Family Endowment. The result of Das’s generous gift to the UND Alumni Association & Foundation, this endowment was designed to help North Dakota’s only comprehensive school of medicine and health sciences accelerate the “translation” of discoveries made in the research lab to the clinic and bedside.
As Dyke put it, his new position will help enable the next generation of healthcare providers from a variety of disciplines deliver optimal clinical care to the people of North Dakota and the region. It will do so by allowing him and his colleagues to pursue translational research projects internal to UND and reach out to providers across the state engaged in translational projects.
Das, who passed away in 2024, generously made the gift commitment in his estate plan and agreed to supplemental funding to help generate an immediate impact at the SMHS.
“This visionary gift will accelerate the translation of laboratory insights into real-world medical innovations that will directly benefit the people of North Dakota and beyond,” noted Dyke. “Through the Das & Wadhwani family’s philanthropy, our School will be better equipped to expand collaborative research, mentor the next generation of physician-scientists, and strengthen our mission to serve the health needs of rural and underserved populations.”
“This was a joint dream of my brother and his late wife Jean – to have a Chair at a University,” said Gopal Das’s brother Mukesh Wadhwani at the Endowment’s dedication. “When we shared all the plans, [Gopal] said, ‘Why are we calling it the Gopal and Jean Chair? Why don’t we call it the Wadhwani Chair?’ On behalf of the family, I don’t think we can describe how proud we are – we are honored.”
Transforming biomedical research
Chair of the SMHS Department of Surgery, Dyke is former associate dean of the SMHS Southeast Campus in Fargo – the School’s largest satellite office. Standing six-foot-seven-inches tall, he is also a former Duke Blue Devils basketball player who graduated from the Duke University School of Medicine in 1987 before eventually making his way up to North Dakota.
In addition to his roles at UND, Dyke has served as cardiothoracic surgeon at Sanford Health in Fargo since 2012.
He is certified by the American Board of Surgery (inactive) and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and maintains memberships in the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, and the North Dakota Medical Association, among other groups.
In so doing, Dyke will partner closely with UND’s Office of Research and Economic Development, which is co-led by Dr. Colin Combs, UND’s associate vice president for research.
“UND’s Office of Research and Economic Development is supportive of the SMHS mission of increasing clinical and translational research output to better serve the people of North Dakota,” said Combs. “Hiring Dr. Dyke as the Wadhwani Chair is a critical step towards realizing this goal.”
UND’s Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the SMHS, Dr. Marjorie Jenkins, agreed.
“The Wadhwani Family Endowed Chair of Translational Research represents a new era of innovation within the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences,” said Jenkins. “It strengthens our ability to transform research discovery into meaningful health solutions, grow strong collaborations, and elevate the impact of North Dakota–driven research within our state and beyond. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Dyke as the first Wadhwani Chair. We appreciate Dr. Das’s family for helping us achieve the breakthroughs of tomorrow through our efforts today.”
Dyke will assume the role on Jan. 1, 2026.
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Brian James Schill
Director, Office of Alumni & Community Relations
UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences
701.777.6048 direct | 701.777.4305 office
brian.schill@UND.edu | www.UND.edu