Dr. William Todd Cade is a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Division Chief of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Division at Duke University School of Medicine. He is also a member of the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute.

Dr. Cade’s research centers on the mechanisms underlying heart and skeletal muscle dysfunction, as well as the impact of exercise and rehabilitative interventions in cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, aging, disability, HIV infection, and the rare genetic disorder Barth syndrome. His global health research includes NIH-funded projects supporting the development of scientific leadership in Rwanda through training in HIV-related cardiometabolic research, and to study the effect of nutritional interventions on metabolism in individuals with diabetes in Rwanda, both in partnership with Washington University in St. Louis. He has mentored a Fulbright Scholar from Rwanda and contributed to dissemination and implementation science efforts, including hypertension screening and intervention programs.

In 2025, Dr. Cade, in collaboration with HYC’s Ernesto Ortiz, launched an educational and research collaboration in Peru, partnering with the NGO Vidawasi in the Sacred Valley region of Cusco to advance physical therapy training and research capacity. He has been actively engaged with the Duke Hubert-Yeargan Center for Global Health since 2025, serving as a research mentor and collaborator in capacity-building initiatives.

Dr. Cade earned his B.S. in Kinesiological Science from the University of Maryland, followed by an M.S. in Physical Therapy from the University of Miami. He completed his Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Maryland and a postdoctoral fellowship in Endocrinology and Metabolism at Washington University in St. Louis.