Heavy-to-light ratios as a test of medium-induced energy loss at RHIC and the LHC

The ratio of nuclear modification factors of high- p_T heavy-flavored mesons to light-flavored hadrons (heavy-to-light ratio) is shown to be a sensitive tool to test medium-induced energy loss at RHIC and LHC energies. Heavy-to-light ratios of D mesons at RHIC in the region 7<p<12 GeV, and of D and B mesons at the LHC in the region 10<p<20 GeV, are proposed for such a test. Finally, the different contributions to the nuclear modification factor for electrons at RHIC are analyzed. Preliminary PHENIX and STAR data are compatible with radiative energy loss provided the contribution of electrons from beauty decays is small compared to that from charm.