DALLAS, January 9, 2024 — A physician-scientist from Massachusetts studying whether chemicals found naturally in food can help treat heart disease, a genetics expert from Pennsylvania studying the molecular mechanisms of lipid metabolism and cardiovascular disease, and a professor of cardiovascular medicine in California studying how e-cigarettes affect the development of abdominal aortic aneurysms are the newest American Heart Association Distinguished Service Award recipients. Over the next five years, each researcher will receive a total of $1 million in funding from the association, the world’s leading volunteer organization focused on heart and brain health and research, now celebrating 100 years of lifesaving work.
The American Heart Association’s Distinguished Service Award is one of the highest honors bestowed by the Association. The Distinguished Service Award supports highly promising and novel research that has the potential to rapidly advance cardiovascular science and have a major impact. The 2024 recipients are:
- Joseph Loscalzo, MD, FAHA, Distinguished Hersey Professor of Medical Theory and Practice, Harvard Medical School, Samuel A. Levine Professor of Medicine, and former chairman of the medical department and physician-in-chief emeritus at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston;
- Daniel J. Leder, MD, FAHA, Seymour Gray Professor of Molecular Medicine, Chair of the Department of Genetics at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and Chief of the Division of Human Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
- Philip S. Tsao, PhD, FAHA, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine and vice chief of precision medicine for the VA Palo Alto Healthcare System in Palo Alto, California;
“This award supports outstanding scientists with proven track records – true innovators who propose novel approaches to key research questions in the areas of heart disease, stroke and brain health. In particular, their research has the potential to have an extraordinary and profound impact on the American Heart Association’s mission to relentlessly work toward a world of longer, healthier lives,” said Joseph C. Wu, MD, FAHA, American Heart Association Volunteer Chairman, director of the Stanford Heart and Vascular Institute and the Simon H. Sturtzer Professor of Medicine and Radiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine. “Having received this award in 2017, I know it comes with both a great honor and great responsibility. This year’s recipients are already recognized leaders in the field of cardiovascular research, and I know they will rise to the next challenges as champions of transformative science in the fight against heart disease and stroke.”
Loscalzo’s research will focus on the link between heart disease and specific foods, or chemicals found naturally in foods. He plans to use high-speed computers and model systems to examine many of the 135,000 “natural” chemicals that have been identified in the world’s food supply. His research will focus on how these food chemicals interact with proteins in cells to affect their functioning, and ultimately which chemicals may protect the heart. His team will use this information to investigate how to create diets using these compounds that are specifically protective against heart disease, laying the groundwork for the development of new drugs that could be used to treat heart disease.
“You may be wondering why this project is interesting and worth funding. Many scientists and doctors have worked hard to come up with a heart-healthy diet. Their research was based on less than 1% of the information about the composition of food. Our approach is much more comprehensive,” said Loscalzo. “We will use the latest technology to investigate the vast number of chemicals found in food, so that we can identify new ‘natural’ treatments for heart disease and improve the health of all people.”
Leder’s research will focus on novel genes and pathways uncovered by large-scale human genetics that alter lipid metabolism and drive cardiovascular disease. Blood lipids, such as cholesterol and triglycerides, are causative risk factors for coronary heart disease as well as several other types of cardiovascular disease, such as aortic stenosis. Genetics plays a major role in lipid metabolism and cardiovascular disease, and many novel genes have been identified whose underlying biology is not yet understood. Using computational, experimental, and human-based studies, Leder will focus on novel genes expressed in the liver that regulate both blood lipids and cardiovascular disease to better understand the molecular mechanisms and determine potential new therapeutic approaches.
“We know that many risk factors for heart disease are hereditary, and hundreds of associated genes have been identified, but we don’t know how most of these genes affect heart disease risk. There is a great need to understand how these genes work together to promote or prevent heart disease,” said Leder. “By conducting studies in model systems and humans, we can unlock some of these mysteries and gain a better understanding of how genes influence the development of cardiovascular disease. By elucidating the biological and cellular mechanisms of heart disease, we can identify new therapeutic targets that could lead to medical advances that improve population health.”
Cao’s research will focus on how e-cigarettes affect the risk of developing abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). AAA is a disease that weakens the main artery in the abdomen. Like a bubble on the side of a bicycle tire, pressure within the artery can cause the AAA bubble to grow larger, often bursting and causing death. Although there are several genes associated with the risk of developing AAA disease, no gene is thought to cause AAA on its own. Rather, an individual’s lifestyle, combined with genes, is likely to cause AAA disease. Smoking is a common risk factor for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm.
“About 90% of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms are former smokers. In fact, AAA disease is more closely related to smoking than any other tobacco-related disease except lung cancer. However, until now there have been few studies describing the relationship between smoking and AAA disease,” said Tsao. “Even less is known about the impact of e-cigarettes on the development of AAA. However, given the popularity of e-cigarettes, especially among young adults, it is very important to understand their impact on AAA disease. We propose to study how e-cigarette vapor acts on specific genes to exacerbate AAA growth. By identifying these mechanisms, we hope to discover new ways to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms. Because smoking is associated with many diseases, these studies may also help us understand the broader, long-term health effects of e-cigarettes and vaping.”
Funding scientific research and discovery through initiatives like the annual Lifetime Achievement Awards is a cornerstone of the American Heart Association’s century-old life-saving mission. Since 1949, the Association has funded more than $5.7 billion in cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and brain health research.This makes it the largest non-governmental supporter of research on heart and brain health in the United States. New knowledge gained through this funding continues to save lives and directly impact millions of people across the United States and around the world.
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About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association works tirelessly to create a world where people live longer, healthier lives. We are committed to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Working with countless organizations and empowering millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for public health and share life-saving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been the leading source of health information for a century. As 2024 marks our 100th anniversary, we celebrate 100 years of rich history and accomplishments. As we move into our second century of bold discovery and impact, our vision is to advance health and hope for all people, everywhere. Connect with us at heart.org, Facebook, and LinkedIn. X Or call 1-800-AHA-USA1.
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