H. Bryan Brewer, M.D.

Director, Washington Cardiovascular Associates, Senior Research Consultant , Lipoprotein and Atherosclerosis Research at the Cardiovascular Research Institute, a division of MedStar Research Institute, in Washington, DC.

Prior to joining MedStar, Dr. Brewer was Chief of the Molecular Disease Branch at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Brewer is a prominent researcher who has published more than 450 original manuscripts and 75 reviews and book chapters on the subjects of genetic dyslipoproteinemias lipoprotein metabolism, and atherosclerosis.

Dr. Brewer’s research led to the elucidation of the first published sequences for the human plasma apolipoproteins, the initial determination of the metabolism of the plasma apolipoproteins in normal and hyperlipidemic individuals.

A recipient of the JD Lane Investigator Award from the US Public Health Service, Dr. Brewer also received the Heinrich Wieland Prize from the Federal Republic of Germany and the Public Health Service Commendation Award, Meritorious & Service, Distinguished Service Medals from the NIH, George Lyman Duff Memorial Award Lecture, and the Robert I. Levy Award.

Dr. Brewer received his medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine in California and completed his internship and residency at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Jean-Claude Tardif, M.D., F.R.C.P.C, F.A.C.C, FCAHS

Director of the Research Center of the Montreal Heart Institute, and Professor of Medicine at the University of Montreal.

Dr. Tardif is a practicing cardiologist and a professor of the faculty of medicine at the University of Montréal. A leader in cardiovascular research, Dr. Tardif has made many important clinical discoveries related to the progression and regression of atherosclerosis, the role of HDL-based therapies in cardiovascular health, the role of the renin-angiotensin system in diabetes, and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging of coronary artery disease.

Dr. Tardif leads a team of more than 650 researchers and staff in his role as Director of the Research Centre of the Montreal Heart Institute. He has published more than 300 articles as well as numerous reviews and book chapters regarding acute coronary syndromes, atherosclerosis, novel anti-atherosclerotic agents and cardiovascular diseases. He is the recipient of several prestigious grants and awards, including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Pfizer Research Chair in Atherosclerosis; he has also been nominated as fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

Dr. Tardif is a frequent consultant to global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and leads several small and large clinical trials. Dr. Tardif received his medical degree from the University of Montréal and completed his post-graduate training at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston.

John J.P. Kastelein, M.D., Ph.D

Professor of Medicine, Strategic Chair of Genetics of Cardiovascular Disease, and Chairman of the Department of Vascular Medicine at the Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam.

Dr. Kastelein is chair of the National Scientific Committee on Familial Hypercholesterolemia (EHC), a member of the Royal Dutch Society for Medicine & Physics, a member of the Council for Basic Science of the American Heart Association and the European Atherosclerosis Society, a board member of the International Task Force for CHD Prevention, a member of the Executive Board of the International Atherosclerosis Society (IAS), and a principal investigator of the Bloodomics and CardioGenics consortia.

Professor Kastelein’s current research interests are in hypertriglyceridaemia, hypercholesterolaemia and low-HDL cholesterol, all conditions associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. In 1995, Dr. Kastelein set up StoeH Foundation and currently holds a position on its board of directors. Since its inception, StoeH has diagnosed over 12,000 individuals with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH).

He has published over 570 research papers in peer-reviewed journals and recently developed the use of non-invasive B-mode ultrasound studies of the carotid arteries for the diagnosis and assessment of novel treatments for atherosclerosis. The Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam (AMC) is the global leader in the technique, now exported to many sites throughout Europe.

Dr. Kastelein received his medical degree and internal medicine training in Amsterdam in the 1980s.