Jonathan Tobis Obituary

December 31, 1947 - September 13, 2025 Dr. Jonathan M. Tobis, Emeritus Professor of Medicine in Cardiology at UCLA, who helped pioneer the field of interventional cardiology, has died. He was 77.
Tobis, who bravely fought kidney cancer for several years, died September 13 at his home in Santa Barbara with his wife Nancy and son Scott by his side.
Born in Brooklyn, New York on New Year's Eve 1947, he attended Amherst College, graduating in 1969 with Honors in Chemistry. He graduated from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1973, followed by residency and fellowship training at the University of California, Irvine where he subsequently joined the faculty of the School of Medicine.
While at UC Irvine, Dr. Tobis performed the first digital coronary angiograms in the world, helping to bring about the modern era of coronary artery stenting. Dr. Tobis also helped to develop intravascular ultrasound technology, which allows cardiologists to obtain detailed pictures from the inside of an artery. These techniques became popularized around the world as the standard of care in interventional cardiology, saving many lives as a result.
Dr. Tobis joined UCLA in 1999 and was the Director of Interventional Cardiology Research at UCLA. He also served as the Director of Interventional Cardiology from 2010 to 2015. In a medical career that spanned nearly 50 years, Dr. Tobis was also involved in the catheter-based treatment of structural heart disease, including extensive research on the closure of patent foramen ovale (a type of hole inside the heart) and its application to patients suffering from severe migraine disease.
Dr. Tobis trained many cardiologists who went on to apply and teach his techniques around the world. He authored hundreds of peer-reviewed medical research papers and several textbooks on interventional cardiology. In recognition of his seminal work in the field, he was awarded the honor of being named as a prestigious Master Fellow of the Society of Cardiac Angiography and Interventions, MSCAI.
Dr. Tobis was universally loved by all who met him, and his life was filled with family and friends. He is remembered for his incredible sense of humor, generosity, compassion, loyalty, and overall zest for life itself. He was a natural athlete, joining the ski team at Amherst College and playing tennis his whole life up to a few months before his passing. Dr. Tobis also loved to backpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains, was an amateur astronomer, extensive world traveler, and a voracious reader of history. He absolutely loved to spend time with his family. Despite the long hours it took to achieve his many academic accomplishments, his wife and children were always his top priority. He had an extensive network of lifelong friends and colleagues whom he always treated like family. Dr. Tobis is survived by his wife Nancy, brother David, sister Heather Booth, sons Scott and Matt, as well as two grandchildren.
In 2023, a grateful patient and a long-time supporter of Dr. Tobis established the Jonathan M. Tobis, M.D., Endowed Research Fund-a permanent tribute that will advance research and honor Dr. Tobis's legacy at the David Geffen School of Medicine. A memorial website will be created through UCLA so family, friends, and colleagues can share memories and pay tribute to Dr. Tobis, as well as donate to the Endowed Research Fund so that his ongoing research work may continue. In addition, a Celebration of Life will be held at UCLA to honor his extraordinary life and the lasting impact of his work.