Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/915879
STANLE Y HA ZEN, MD, PHD, chair of the Depa r tment of Cel lu la r & Molecular Medicine in the Lerner R esea rch I n s t it ut e a nd sec t ion head of Preventive Ca rdiolog y & Rehabilitation in the Miller Family He a r t & Va s c u l a r I n s t it u t e a t Cleveland Clinic, was named by the American Heart Association (AHA) a Distinguished Scientist for 2017. Dr. Ha zen wa s a mong a cla ss of seven scientists to be recognized at the annual American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in November. According to the AHA, the Distinguished Scientist designation was created in 2003 to honor AHA/ASA members who have made extraordinary contributions to cardiovascular and stroke research. This title recognizes influential research that has importantly advanced the understanding, management, and treatment of cardiovascular disease or stroke. "Dr. Hazen's research has fundamentally changed the way we think about the role of diet and the microbiome in the pathogenesis of heart disease," says Serpil Erzurum, MD, chair of Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute. "Dr. Hazen is highly deserving of this distinguished award. We look forward to watching his research continue to advance, and to see how his work will impact human health and patient care." "I am honored and humbled to receive this recognition from the AHA," said Dr. Hazen. "I also want to acknowledge and thank my colleagues who have helped and supported me in making the discoveries and advances over the years." Dr. Ha zen ha s published more tha n 380 peer-reviewed a r ticles in ba sic a nd clinica l journa ls a like. He ha s made pioneering discoveries in atherosclerosis and inflammatory disease resea rch, including the semina l discover y linking gut microbia l pathways to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic diseases, including atherosclerosis, thrombosis, heart failure and chronic kidney disease. His research impacts clinica l practice, a nd lays the foundation for FDA-clea red diagnostic tests, and ongoing CVD drug development efforts. In a recent landmark study, Dr. Hazen showed that interfering with certain gut microbial pathways with therapeutics can help block diet-dependent atherosclerosis. His comprehensive work establishes a new understanding of diet/gut microbe/ host interactions in diseases and has spawned development of both new diagnostic tests and therapeutic approaches for the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. Dr. Hazen's numerous other discoveries include defining pathways white blood cells use to generate reactive oxidants and their functional importance in heart disease. A member of Cleveland Clinic's staff since 1997, Dr. Hazen is both a practicing physician and researcher and holds many leadership roles at Cleveland Clinic. He holds the Jan Bleeksma Chair in Vascular Cell Biology and Atherosclerosis. Dr. Hazen is the first Cleveland Clinic staff physician to receive the AHA Distinguished Scientist honor. Other awards include election to the American Federation for Medical Research, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Association of American Physicians, and the National Academy of Medicine. He is also a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. n Dr. Stanley Hazen Recognized as 2017 Distinguished Scientist by AHA 2 0 2 0 ❱❱❱❱❱ LOCAL DOCS IN NATIONAL NE WS