Victor Joseph Dzau PBM (Chinese: 曹文凱; pinyin: Cáo Wénkǎi;[1] born 23 October 1945) is a Chinese-American doctor and academic.

His research laid the foundation for the development of ACE inhibitors, a class of drugs used to treat high blood pressure and congestive heart failure.

[8] His research in cardiovascular regeneration led to the Paracrine Hypothesis[9] of stem cell action and the therapeutic strategy of direct cardiac reprogramming.

[11] In 2011, he co-founded the non-governmental organization Innovations in Healthcare[12] in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF) and McKinsey & Company.

[17] Dzau launched numerous programs and initiatives at the National Academy of Medicine, including: Focus on health equity and social issues Under Dzau's tenure as president, the National Academy of Medicine added “accelerating health equity” to its mission statement.

Dzau secured a $10 million endowment from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to enable the Academy to advance the science of equity and engage with communities.

[17] In 2022, Dzau launched a Task Force on Preventing Firearm-Related Injuries and Deaths,[21] stating that "firearm violence is a public health crisis.

[23][24] Following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, Dzau made a statement alongside National Academy of Sciences president Marcia McNutt asserting that "the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade will likely make it even more difficult for women to access high-quality health care in this country.

"[25] Following this statement, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine established a Standing Committee on Reproductive Health, Equity, and Society.

Dzau served on the Board of Health Governors for the World Economic Forum[29] and chaired its Global Futures Council on Healthy Longevity and Human Enhancement.

"[39] Dzau helped to initiate the Coronavirus Global Response Pledging Conference hosted by the European Commission on 4 May 2020,[17] which set the goal of raising €7.5 billion to develop diagnostics, treatments, and a vaccine.

[46] Dzau's wife, Ruth Cooper-Dzau, is the president of The Second Step, a nonprofit charitable organization that provides housing and transnational programs for domestic violence victims.