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Asher Kimchi, M.D.

Beverly Hills, CA (July 19, 2011) Asher Kimchi, M.D., Founder and Chairman of the International Academy of Cardiology, today announced the selection of Jay Mehta, M.D., PhD., Director, Molecular Cardiology, Professor of Internal Medicine and Physiology and Biophysics and Stebbins Chair in Cardiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, to deliver the fifth H.J.C. Swan Memorial Lecture at the Opening Ceremony of the International Academy of Cardiology, 16th World Congress on Heart Disease, Annual Scientific Sessions 2011 to be held in Vancouver, BC, Canada, from Saturday, July 23 through Tuesday, July 26, 2011.

J.L. Mehta,
M.D., PhD.

Dr. Mehta will present on the topic of “Angiogenesis in Atherosclerosis; Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets”. Angiogenesis or generation of new blood vessels has been known to be the basis of development of blood vessels in fetal life. Recently, angiogenesis has been shown to be a fundamental basis of growth and spread of certain tumors. Angiogenesis has also been identified in the media and adventitia of atherosclerotic blood vessels leading to the concept that atherosclerosis is “cancer of the blood vessels”. Work in his laboratory has suggested a potent role of reactive oxygen species released in response to the activation of angiotensin II and oxidized LDL receptor LOX-1 in angiogenesis.

Dr. Mehta, after receiving an MD in India and PhD in Sweden, joined the faculty of the University of Florida College of Medicine, where he rose to be University Research Foundation Professor. He moved to Little Rock in 2000 as the Professor of Medicine and Physiology and Biophysics. He led the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at UAMS until 2007. Dr. Mehta serves on the editorial board of several journals, including Circulation, Hypertension, European Heart Journal, and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. He has published over 1000 papers, abstracts and book chapters. He is a member of many prestigious academic societies.

Dr. Mehta’s research on the biology of LOX-1 has opened a new target for cardiovascular therapy. He has taken this work from the identification of the receptor in endothelial cells, macrophages, platelets, and cardiomyocytes to its upregulation in atherosclerosis and tissue ischemia. This work has inspired a host of collaborators at several prestigious universities. He has shown that LOX-1 polymorphism is associated with a heightened risk of acute myocardial infarction in man.

Dr. Mehta has lectured in over 30 countries and has received several major awards from medical and non-medical societies in the US and abroad.

Dr. Asher Kimchi comments, “We are most fortunate to have Dr. Mehta with us at the 16th World Congress on Heart Disease. His teachings and research are unparalleled and we are looking forward to his presentation on “Angiogenesis in Atherosclerosis.”

Dr. Asher Kimchi is the Vice Clinical Chief of Cardiology and the Medical Director of the Preventive and Consultative Heart Center of Excellence at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles. He is also a Clinical Professor of Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles.

On Sunday, July 24, 2011, at 9:00 A.M. the Founder and Chairman of the International Academy of Cardiology, Dr. Asher Kimchi, will greet the Congress’ eight hundred attendees from fifty-nine countries throughout the world.

The official Opening Ceremony and Awards Presentations will be chaired by Dr. John A. Elefteriades, New Haven, CT, USA; Professor of Surgery, Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine; Chairman, Scientific Executive Committee; and Chairman, Section of Cardiovascular Surgery.

The following Members of the International Academy of Cardiology (IAC) will also take part in the Opening Ceremony:

• Dr. Jeffrey S. Borer, Professor of Medicine and Chairman, Department of Medicine; Chief/Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, SUNY, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn NY; Member, Scientific Executive Committee; Chairman, Section of Valvular Heart Disease
• Prof. Naranjan S. Dhalla, Distinguished Professor and Director of Cardiovascular Developments, SBRC, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Member of the Scientific Executive Committee and Chairman of the Section of Molecular Cardiology.
• Dr. Gordon Fung, Clinical Professor of Medicine, UCSF School of Medicine and Director of Cardiology Services UCSF Medical Center at Mount Zion, San Francisco, CA; Member, Scientific Advisory Board and Past Governor of the American College of Cardiology, California Chapter
• Dr. Kenneth Maiese, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurology and Neurosciences of the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey; New Jersey Medical School; Member, Scientific Executive Committee; and Chairman, Section of Vascular Biology

Awards to Be Presented For Distinguished Contributions to Medicine and Cardiology:

The International Academy of Cardiology has established five awards to honor the memory of distinguished colleagues who made a major contribution to Medicine and Cardiology and who were members of the faculty for previous International Academy of Cardiology meetings. As in previous years, a very prestigious Awards Committee selected the recipients.

Dr. John A. Elefteriades and Dr. Jeffrey S. Borer, Co-Chairmen of the Awards Committee, will present the following awards for 2011 at the opening ceremony of the Congress:

• The WALTER BLEIFELD MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Clinical Research
• The ALBRECHT FLECKENSTEIN MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Basic Research
• The JAN J. KELLERMANN MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
• The HANS-PETER KRAYENBUEHL MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Research in Cardiac Function
• The MELVIN L. MARCUS MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished contribution as a Gifted Teacher
• The DISTINGUISHED FELLOWSHIP AWARD for profound contribution to Cardiovascular Medicine and important service to the Academy

Dr. Kimchi notes that, “Program areas of this Congress will include innovative lectures on molecular and cellular cardiology, diagnostic methods, coronary artery disease, heart failure, arrhythmias, pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery."

According to Dr. Kimchi, "Papers will be presented in the form of plenary sessions, symposia and posters and will include superb scientific material that was carefully selected by the Scientific Abstract Review committee from over eight hundred abstracts submitted for presentation at the meeting. The five hundred and thirty-nine studies selected for presentation, originate from laboratories in forty-eight countries and assure that the meeting will be a major scientific event."

About the International Academy of Cardiology:
The International Academy of Cardiology, founded twenty-two years ago by Dr. Asher Kimchi, is dedicated to the advancement of global research in cardiovascular medicine through the support of scientific meetings and publications.

The World Congress on Heart Disease is attended by physicians and scientists worldwide, and provides a forum for innovative and comprehensive overview of the latest research developments in cardiovascular medicine, primarily in the areas of molecular and cellular cardiology, coronary artery disease, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery.

Registration for the 16th World Congress on Heart Disease, presented by the International Academy of Cardiology, in Vancouver, BC, Canada from July 23-26, 2011 is available online at http://www.cardiologyonline.com.

The Congress takes place at the Hyatt Regency, 1 Discovery Square, 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

For further information or to book interviews, please visit Cardiology Online or contact Cirina Catania at The Catania Group.