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FCG International Science and Research Award 2005: VALENTÍN FUSTER

“Since the contributions made by Dr. Fuster to cardiovascular medicine have had an important impact on the improvement of the treatment of patients with heart disease.  Especially outstanding has been the explanation of the pathogeny of severe heart conditions, “severe myocardium attacks and unstable angina pectoris”, making an important contribution on a world scale to the specialities of cardiology and hematology.

Dr. Fuster has highlighted the role of vulnerable plaque in coronary arteries and has deepened on the molecular and genetic mechanisms that cause angina pectoris and myocardium attack.

His interest in promoting science in our country is also noted.  He is the author of a great number of books and articles about his work and research.” According to the jury that met in Valladolid on June 20, 2005, chaired by Dr. Regina Revilla Pedreira; Director of  de External Affairs and Communication of MSD; and made up by the following members, Dr. Camilo José Cela Conde; Professor of Philosophy of the Balearic

Islands University, Professor Tomás Girbés Juan; Biochemistry and Melecular Biology Professor of the University of Valladolid, Dr. Cayetano López Martínez; Deputy Director General of CIEMAT and Director of its Energy Department, Mr. Juan Pérez Mercader; Director of the Astrobiology Centre.

DR. VALENTÍN FUSTER - Biography

Barcelona, Spain (1943)

As a Doctor of the Mount Sinai Medical Center’s Cardiovascular Institute, Dr. Fuster heads two of its Institutes: He is Director of both the Zena and Michael A. Wiener Cardiovascular Institute and the Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Cardiovascular Health. He is also the Richard Gorlin, MD/Heart Research Foundation Professor.  Dr. Valentín Fuster has also served as President of the American Heart Association and since 1^st January last he is President of the World Heart Federation. He is also a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, a former member of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Advisory Council, and former Chairman of the Fellowship Training Directors Program of the American College of Cardiology.

He studied at the University of Barcelona, from whose Faculty of Medicine he received his medical degree and doctorate.  In the 1970s he mved to the United States where he continued his studies.

He was lecturer in Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease at the Mayo Clinic Medical School in Minnesota (USA), at the Mount Sinai Hospital Medical School in New York (USA) and between 1991 and 1994 he was Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston (USA) until being appointed Director of the Mount Sinai Hospital Cardiology Institute, a position which he currently holds as well as being the Vice-President of that Center’s Medical Department.

The contributions made by Dr. Fuster to cardiovascular medicine has had an important impact on the treatment of patients with heart disease.  Possibly the most outstanding has been his explanation of the pathogeny of severe heart conditions, “severe myocardium attacks and unstable angina pectoris”, making an underlying contribution on a world scale to the specilaities of cardiology and hematology.  His interest in promoting science in our country is also noted.  He is the author of a great number of books and articles about his work and research.

He has published more than 400 articles on the subjects of coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis and thrombosis, and he has become the lead Editor of two major textbooks on cardiology, 'The Heart' (previously edited by Dr. J. Willis Hurst) and "Atherothrombosis and Coronary Artery Disease" (with Dr. Eric Topol and Dr. Elizabeth Nabel). He contributed first hand to the launching of the new Forum for Young Investigators of the American Heart Association

In 1996, Dr Fuster received the Príncipe de Asturias Award for Science and Research from HRH Prince Felipe of Spain (this is the most distinguished scientific award in the Spanish-speaking world).  Among his many awards and distinctions, he has also received the Andreas Gruntzig Scientific Award from the European Society of Cardiology (1992), the Distinguished Scientist Award from the American College of Cardiology (1993) and the Lewis A. Conner Memorial Award for scientific accomplishments from the American Heart Association (1993).  He has been distinguished by ten outstanding universities throughout the world by granting him an honoris causa.  Most recently, Dr. Fuster was selected as a Distinguished Scientist of the American Heart Association, one of the highest awards given by the Association, presented to only 15 scientists for their work in cardiovascular research over the last few years.