Pittsburgh – October 14, 2026 -- Allegheny Health Network (AHN) has appointed surgical oncologist Nipun B. Merchant, MD, as chair of its Department of Surgery and its first surgeon-in-chief, effective February 2027.
New surgeon-in-chief role centralizes oversight of network surgery
The newly created position makes Merchant the senior physician executive for AHN's surgical enterprise, with strategic oversight of surgical services across the network's hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. As chair, he will lead the department's clinical, academic and strategic growth, including faculty recruitment, expansion of advanced surgical programs, education and research. He will work with physicians, nurses and operational leaders on quality, safety and patient experience.
AHN says the role reflects a push toward a more integrated model of surgical care across its growing network.
Merchant arrives from Miami with 250+ publications and continuous NIH funding
Merchant joins from the University of Miami Health System and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. There he was Alan S. Livingstone Professor of Surgery, Chief Surgical Officer, Executive Director of Perioperative Services and Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology. He was also Sylvester's Associate Director of Translational Research and founding Director of the Sylvester Pancreatic Cancer Research Institute.
He has authored more than 250 peer-reviewed publications, holds a long record of continuous National Institutes of Health funding and leads a National Cancer Institute-funded training grant for surgeon-scientists. His research covers pancreatic cancer biology, including the tumor microenvironment and cell signaling pathways. At Miami, he helped develop what AHN describes as one of the nation's premier multidisciplinary pancreatic cancer programs.
He has held leadership roles with the American College of Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncology, Society of Asian Academic Surgeons, National Comprehensive Cancer Network and National Cancer Institute.
AHN targets research expansion and wider access to specialized care
Bethany Casagranda, DO, MBA, AHN chief medical officer and president of Allegheny Clinic, said Merchant's record will help expand the research mission and bring highly specialized care to more patients across the region. Merchant said he sees an opportunity to "create something truly distinctive across an integrated health system."
Merchant succeeds interim chair David Bartlett after national search
Merchant replaces David Bartlett, MD, Director of the AHN Cancer Center and President of the Allegheny-Singer Research Institute, who served as Interim Chair of the Department of Surgery during the national search.