Mantosh Dewan, MD, who has served as interim president of Upstate Medical University since Nov. 2018, has been named president of the university, effective immediately.

The appointment was announced today by the SUNY Board of Trustees.

Under Dewan’s leadership, Upstate has been commended by the Board of Trustees for its work on a COVID pooled surveillance testing program that has assisted most SUNY campuses in meeting regular testing for students, faculty and staff on campus.

Another breakthrough under Dewan’s leadership is the development by Upstate and its Start-Up New York partner, Quadrant Biosciences, of a saliva-based COVID diagnostic test that was granted Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The Upstate Medical College Council subcommittee on Search Firms at Upstate passed a unanimous resolution which states:  “this Subcommittee finds that Dr. Dewan has demonstrated an extraordinary capability to lead this institution in a positive future direction and has gained the measure of respect and support from all sectors of the Upstate Medical University that would enable him to successfully continue his highly effective leadership were he to be appointed permanent President of Upstate Medical University.”  

 The Upstate Medical College Council Chair stated that the community of Upstate New York would be best served by the appointment of Dr. Dewan as permanent President of Upstate Medical University. The Onondaga County Executive, Mayor of Syracuse, and regional state senator have expressed their enthusiasm for Dr. Dewan to become permanent president. For instance, Syracuse Mayor, Ben Walsh stated, “With Dr. Dewan in this role, I see even greater things ahead for the SUNY system, Upstate, its people and our community”. 

Dewan has had a long and distinguished career at SUNY Upstate. Dr. Dewan is a SUNY Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. He is former chair of the department and has also served as director of Undergraduate Education and director of Residency Training. He was interim dean of the College of Medicine.

Throughout his career, which began at Upstate Medical in 1979 as an assistant professor of psychiatry, he has written 35 books and book chapters and 75 papers, and given hundreds of presentations on topics that range from brain imaging and economics of mental health care to psychotherapy and medical education. His work has been funded by grants from the National Institute of Mental Health and the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Dewan has an active clinical practice and is listed in The Best Doctors in America. He is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and has received the Scientific Achievement Award from the Indo-American Psychiatrists Association, the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the 2010 George Tarjan Award from the American Psychiatric Association, and designated an "Exemplary Chair" by SUNY in 2011.

He holds a doctor of medicine from Bombay University (currently Mumbai University). Dr. Dewan conducted his residency at University Hospital, SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse.

Caption: Mantosh Dewan, MD, left, greets SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras at the Central New York Biotech Accelerator during a tour of Upstate's COVID-19 surveillance projects. Dewan, who has served as interim president since Nov. 2018, was named president of Upstate today by the SUNY Board of Trustees.