World's Largest Forum for New Research on Atherosclerosis Is Co-Led by Weill Cornell Medical College Dean Dr. Antonio M. Gotto
NEW YORK (June 15, 2009) — Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries with plaque buildup, is the underlying cause of heart disease and stroke, which together account for more than half of all death and disability in developed nations. The world's largest forum for new research on the topic, the International Symposium on Atherosclerosis (ISA), will hold its 15th triennial meeting at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center in Boston, June 14 to 18.
Organized under the auspices of the International Atherosclerosis Society and co-hosted by the Boston Atherosclerosis Society and Weill Cornell Medical College, the international Symposium — the first held in the U.S. in 30 years — will feature more than 1,500 scientific presentations and posters sessions, with invited speakers representing 25 countries and five continents. Registered attendees are coming from more than 60 countries.
"Recent years have seen important advances in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis," says Dr. Antonio M. Gotto Jr., Symposium co-president and the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College. "The International Symposium on Atherosclerosis is a unique opportunity for the world's top experts in this field to gather and share their latest research findings with the aim of reducing the impact of this disease."
A leading authority on statins for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis, Dr. Gotto will chair a plenary session on inhibitors of cholesterol synthesis and absorption, and a clinical symposium on new developments in statin therapy.
"New research into the nutritional, lifestyle, and genetic foundations of atherosclerosis, advanced imaging techniques, novel screening and diagnostic biomarkers, and better lifestyle and drug therapies are all helping to make major progress in the early detection, prevention, and treatment of this disease," says Dr. Ernst J. Schaefer, Symposium co-president, professor of medicine, and senior scientist and director of the Lipid Metabolism Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and Tufts University School of Medicine.
"Our understanding of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease has evolved from a primary focus on LDL cholesterol levels to the broader concept of cardiometabolic risk — a grouping of risk factors that includes emerging markers such as intra-abdominal obesity and insulin resistance," says Dr. Jean-Charles Fruchart, president of the International Atherosclerosis Society. "New research, especially in genetics, is helping elucidate the complex mechanisms behind the disease, and introduce new ways to prevent and treat it."
The 2009 International Symposium on Atherosclerosis will provide a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of recent advances in the field of atherosclerosis, including new insights and treatment strategies. For more information and a full schedule of presentations, visit www.isa2009.org.
Weill Cornell Medical College
Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University's medical school located in New York City, is committed to excellence in research, teaching, patient care and the advancement of the art and science of medicine, locally, nationally and globally. Weill Cornell, which is a principal academic affiliate of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, offers an innovative curriculum that integrates the teaching of basic and clinical sciences, problem-based learning, office-based preceptorships, and primary care and doctoring courses. Physicians and scientists of Weill Cornell Medical College are engaged in cutting-edge research in areas such as stem cells, genetics and gene therapy, geriatrics, neuroscience, structural biology, cardiovascular medicine, transplantation medicine, infectious disease, obesity, cancer, psychiatry and public health — and continue to delve ever deeper into the molecular basis of disease and social determinants of health in an effort to unlock the mysteries of the human body in health and sickness. In its commitment to global health and education, the Medical College has a strong presence in places such as Qatar, Tanzania, Haiti, Brazil, Austria and Turkey. Through the historic Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Cornell University is the first in the U.S. to offer a M.D. degree overseas. Weill Cornell is the birthplace of many medical advances — including the development of the Pap test for cervical cancer, the synthesis of penicillin, the first successful embryo-biopsy pregnancy and birth in the U.S., the first clinical trial of gene therapy for Parkinson's disease, the first indication of bone marrow's critical role in tumor growth, and most recently, the world's first successful use of deep brain stimulation to treat a minimally conscious brain-injured patient. For more information, visit www.med.cornell.edu.
John Rodgers
jdr2001@med.cornell.edu