Bindu Akkanti, MD

Biography

Dr. Akkanti joined UTHealth Houston in 2013 and is currently a Professor in the Department of Medicine and the Assistant Dean of Clinical Education at McGovern Medical School. In her role as Assistant Dean, she is dedicated to enhancing the clinical education of medical students across all McGovern Medical School campuses, striving to create consistent, high-quality, and compassionate learning experiences that prepare students for excellence in patient care.

She is a graduate of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. She completed her internship in Internal Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and pursued a residency at Boston University Medical Center. She then completed her fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, where she trained in critical care, lung cancer, asthma, COPD, pulmonary hypertension, cystic fibrosis, lung transplantation, and other advanced lung diseases through rotations at Ben Taub General Hospital, The Methodist Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital, and the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Akkanti also completed the Clinical Scientist Training Program, conducting bioinformatics-based translational research in lung cancer under Dr. Francesco DeMayo in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Baylor College of Medicine.

Clinical Medicine:

Dr. Akkanti is one of the core physicians who rounds in the Heart and Lung Transplant Intensive Care Unit. During her tenure, she has contributed to the growth of the heart and lung transplant programs and the mechanical circulatory support program, which has completed hundreds of heart transplants, left ventricular assist devices, percutaneous left ventricular assist devices, and ECMOs. She is an integral part of the lung transplant service and cares for these patients in the intensive care unit.

She also serves as one of the pulmonary hypertension specialists at Memorial Hermann and UT Physicians, caring for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, and other complex forms of pulmonary hypertension. She leads a multidisciplinary clinic with advanced heart failure clinicians on Tuesdays at the Hermann Plaza (713-704-4300 for referrals).

Her philosophy in clinical medicine is deeply rooted in humanism. She believes that every patient encounter is a privilege — an opportunity to alleviate human suffering with skill, empathy, and respect. Guided by Ralph Waldo Emerson’s words, “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived — this is to have succeeded,” she strives to embody the art and heart of medicine in every clinical interaction.

Education:

In her current role as Assistant Dean of Clinical Education, Dr. Akkanti oversees the clinical curriculum for third- and fourth-year medical students, working to ensure that these experiences are seamlessly aligned with the foundational education of the first two years. Her focus is on creating a cohesive, well-rounded, and mission-driven curriculum that fosters clinical excellence, professionalism, and compassion — hallmarks of the McGovern Medical School mission.

Dr. Akkanti is a faculty member in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at McGovern Medical School, where she teaches fellows, residents, and students in areas including advanced heart and lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, and mechanical circulatory support. She also serves as site director for internal medicine, vascular surgery, and emergency medicine residents rotating through the heart and lung transplant intensive care unit.

Prior to her current leadership role, Dr. Akkanti served as the Module Co-Director for the Pulmonary Module for first-year medical students and Co-Director for the Transitions to Residency Course for fourth-year medical students. She also served for many years as the McGovern Society Leader for the Runnels Society, mentoring students longitudinally throughout their training.

Dr. Akkanti is deeply committed to simulation-based education, particularly in teaching hemodynamics and mechanical circulatory support. She has led numerous national simulation courses across various platforms, helping to make complex cardiovascular physiology approachable for clinicians at all levels. Her goal is to meet learners where they are — cultivating confidence, curiosity, and competence through individualized and interactive learning.

Her outstanding dedication to teaching has been recognized through multiple honors, including induction into the Academy of Master Educators, the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society, and recognition by CHEST as a Distinguished Educator for her contributions to pulmonary and critical care education.

Research:

Dr. Akkanti’s primary research interests focus on the impact of pulmonary hypertension and mechanical circulatory support on patient outcomes. She serves as principal investigator or co-investigator on several major clinical trials.  She also has started and has been leading the Health Research Care Outcomes Lab through her mentorship academy, where she strategizes with students, residents, and fellows in outcomes-based research utilizing national databases. Under her mentorship, numerous trainees have delivered nationally recognized presentations and publications.

Please see her publications here: PubMed – Akkanti

Administration:

Dr. Akkanti is the Director of Critical Care for the Heart and Vascular Institute and the Medical Director for the Heart and Lung Transplant Intensive Care Unit. She is also the founder of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program at the Wellness Center at Memorial Hermann – TMC. She has completed the Clinical Safety and Effectiveness Certificate Program through UT McGovern/Memorial Hermann and holds board certification in Quality (CMQ).

She has mentored many fellows and current faculty in the field of mechanical circulatory support critical care, advancing the discipline’s clinical and academic mission nationally through innovation, scholarship, and mentorship.

Personal:

Dr. Akkanti is married to Dr. Garg, an Associate Professor in Radiology at M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Center. She enjoys traveling, dancing and photography.