Dr. Christopher Kramer, MD, George A. Beller MD/Lantheus Medical Imaging Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and CVRC member, became President of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) at the organization’s 2025 annual meeting. The ACC is a global professional organization for clinical and non-clinical workers in cardiovascular fields, boasting over 60,000 members in 146 countries. Dr. Kramer has long been involved with the ACC—he has served in various editorial capacities for two ACC journals, chaired the ACC’s Imaging Council, and was Vice Chair for the Appropriate Use Task Force. He also served terms as ACC Treasurer and Vice President in addition to joining the ACC Board of Trustees in 2016. He was named a Distinguished Mentor by the organization in 2021, in recognition of having “palpably shaped the careers of current and future leaders in cardiovascular medicine.” It is fitting, then, that in his inaugural address to the ACC, he dedicated a section to mentorship, saying that “one of the best ways to honor your good mentors is by taking the time to be a strong positive mentor to those coming up behind you.”
Dr. Kramer continues to provide world-class training and leadership for cardiologists on Grounds, including as a mentor for the cardiology division’s Advanced Imaging training program, which he previously led. He is now the Chief of the Cardiovascular Division, which numbers over 50 faculty, and credits the ACC for leadership experiences that help him effectively manage the Division. Dr. Kramer has mentored several dozen cardiology fellows, many of whom have become faculty and are themselves training others. Six of his mentees are currently faculty at UVA.
As a researcher, Dr. Kramer has published over 300 scientific articles, four books, and over 100 editorials, reviews, and book chapters. His research explores the clinical uses of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a powerful technique for visualizing the heart and blood vessels. “The collaboration between Cardiology, Radiology, and Biomedical Engineering here at UVA is a model for how clinical and research imaging programs should work,” says Dr. Kramer. Dr. Kramer is developing MRI exams for patients with peripheral arterial disease that measure blood flow into muscles and through blood vessels to determine the extent of disease and predict patient outcomes. Traditional MRI methods require the patient to keep very still to generate clear images. “The heart is the hardest organ to image because it’s always in motion,” Dr. Kramer explained. To overcome this problem, cardiac MRI syncs imaging to the patient’s electrocardiogram to help prevent motion blurring. Patients also help by holding their breath while the images are captured..
The highlight of Dr. Kramer’s research career is being co-principal investigator of a 2,750-patient, 44-site, NIH study of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The project uses data drawn from the patient cohort, which is spread across six countries, to improve physician’s ability to predict patient risk. The results of this research will be submitted for publication later this year. Looking ahead to his term as ACC President, Dr. Kramer anticipates addressing issues in innovation, health equity, and AI-driven healthcare solutions. “It is an honor and privilege to serve on behalf of our patients and members,” he said.