Petros Okubagzi, MD, serves as Vice President of Clinical and Translational Research at MedStar Health Research Institute (MHRI), where he provides strategic leadership for clinical research operations across MedStar Health. In this role, he works with investigators, physicians, research associates, and operational leaders to advance clinical trials, translational research, and innovative approaches that bring new treatments and technologies closer to the patients and communities MedStar serves.
Dr. Okubagzi has more than two decades of experience leading large-scale clinical research programs and building research infrastructure that supports scientific discovery and patient-centered innovation. Prior to his current role, he served as Executive Director of Cardiovascular Research and Director of Cardiovascular Research Programs for the MedStar Cardiovascular Research Network, where he helped oversee nationally recognized cardiovascular research initiatives and clinical trials.
A physician by training, Dr. Okubagzi earned his medical degree from Gondar College of Medical Sciences in Ethiopia and completed postgraduate training in internal medicine at Addis Ababa University. He later pursued research training at Nottingham City Hospital in the United Kingdom, establishing a career that bridges clinical medicine, research operations, and translational science.
Throughout his career, Dr. Okubagzi has focused on strengthening the connection between scientific discovery and patient care. His work supports the development, evaluation, and implementation of new therapies, devices, and care approaches that improve outcomes while expanding access to research opportunities across the MedStar Health system.
Areas of Expertise
- Clinical and translational research
- Clinical trial operations
- Cardiovascular research
- Research program leadership
- Healthcare innovation
- Research infrastructure and strategy
- Investigator and study support
- Community-based and decentralized research