 |  |
The Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center hosted Inflammation: The Alpha and Omega of Atherosclerosis by Dr. Peter Libby!  On Tuesday October 18th, 2011 the Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center hosted its Annual Robert M. Berne Distinguished Lecture and welcomed renowned researcher Peter Libby, M.D for his presentation entitled Inflammation: The Alpha and Omega of Atherosclerosis. This lecture mark the 21st consecutive year of Berne lectures originating under Dr. Brian Duling in 1990. Dr. Libby is the Chief of the Cardiovascular Division and a Senior Physician in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a Staff Physician at the Boston Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and a Consulting Physician for the Department of Medical Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He is widely acknowledged as one of the top experts in the world in studies of atherosclerosis and in particular investigating the role of inflammatory cells and processes in development, progression, and end stage clinical events associated with atherosclerosis including myocardial infarction and stroke. He is also the PI of the Canakinumab Anti-Inflammatory Thrombosis Outcomes Study or CANTOS, a major international clinical trial testing if treatment of post-myocardial infarction patients with a neutralizing IL-1b antibody reduces cardiovascular events. This year’s seminar reviewed the evidence supporting the role of inflammation in atherosclerosis from lesion initiation, through progression, and plaque disruption and thrombosis, the ultimate complication of the disease. The talk objectives were to understand that atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is not due to passive deposition of cholesterol on the artery but an active inflammatory process that turns against the body defense mechanisms usually used to fight injury or infection. The seminar also reviewed recent insights into the basic mechanisms of inflammation that operate in atherosclerotic plaques, and acquainted attendees with experimental evidence that preventive therapies can work by lowering inflammation. The Robert M. Berne Cardiovascular Research Center would like to sincerely thank Dr. Libby for his enlightening talk and visit. |