Northwell’s Feinstein Institutes’ Kevin J. Tracey named to TIME100 2026 Health list

Dr. Kevin J. Tracey’s pioneering work on the vagus nerve and discovery of the inflammatory reflex have earned him acknowledgment as one of the world’s most influential leaders in health.

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In recognition of Kevin J. Tracey, MD’s decades-long pursuit into unraveling the mysteries of the brain’s connection to the body and control of inflammation through technology, TIME has named the president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research at Northwell Health an “Innovator” on its 2026 TIME100 Health list. The recognition spotlights 100 of the world’s most influential leaders transforming global health. Read Dr. Tracey’s profile here and the full TIME100 list here.

Dr. Tracey has revolutionized medical science through his biomedical research on the inflammatory reflex and vagus nerve function, establishing a new understanding of how the nervous system regulates immune responses. His work founded the field of bioelectronic medicine, which combines neuroscience, immunology and engineering to develop novel treatments that use technology rather than medications to treat disease. This research has made him one of the world’s most cited scientists and resulted in the development of the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved vagus nerve stimulation device for rheumatoid arthritis treatment by SetPoint Medical.

Following the device’s approval in July 2025, Northwell Health became the first health system in the nation to treat a patient with the implant just one month later through its recently opened Center for Bioelectronic Medicine. In addition to offering bioelectronic therapies, The Center provides access to leading-edge bioelectronic medicine clinical trials, initial and comprehensive consultations with specialized health care providers, and dedicated care navigators to guide patients through their treatment journey, with strategic plans to broaden therapeutic offerings in line with future FDA approvals.

“This recognition from TIME is a testament to the power of collaborative science and the efforts of many researchers, clinicians and innovators in academia and industry who worked to advance bioelectronic medicine,” said Dr. Tracey, Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research at Northwell and author of the book The Great Nerve: The New Science of the Vagus Nerve and How to Harness Its Healing Reflexes. “For decades, we’ve pursued the fundamental question of how the brain controls the body’s inflammatory responses, and seeing this research translate into treatment means that patients will benefit. That's what it’s all about.”

TIME also recognized Northwell by including it in its TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2025 while naming its innovation, the double neural bypass, to the TIME Hall of Fame in October 2025, a collection of the top 25 groundbreaking inventions from the past quarter-century that have had the most global and societal impact.

“Northwell Health is filled with immense pride today as we celebrate Dr. Kevin Tracey’s well-deserved inclusion on the TIME100 Health List,” said John D’Angelo, MD, Northwell’s president and CEO. “His tireless scientific pursuits have led to impactful care that is poised to help millions of people.”

As New York’s largest health care provider and one of the largest integrated health systems in the U.S., Northwell cares for more than three million people annually and encompasses over 104,000 employees, a diverse network of 22,000 nurses and 13,500 providers at 28 hospitals and 1,000 outpatient locations.

To produce knowledge to cure disease, Northwell’s Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research comprises more than 50 research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff across six institutes: Behavioral Science, Bioelectronic Medicine, Cancer, Health System Science, Molecular Medicine and Translational Research.

The full TIME100 Health list will be featured in the February 23 print issue, available on newsstands on Friday, February 13, 2026.

About the Feinstein Institutes

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the home of the research institutes of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Encompassing 50+ research labs, 3,000 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its six institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health system science, molecular medicine, and translational research. We are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine – an innovative field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. The Feinstein Institutes publishes two open-access, international peer-reviewed journals Molecular Medicine and Bioelectronic Medicine. Through the Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, we offer an accelerated PhD program. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit http://feinstein.northwell.edu and follow us on LinkedIn.