Renowned hypertension expert David Harrison, MD, Professor of Medicine and Director, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Betty and Jack Bailey Chair in Cardiology at Vanderbilt University, has been chosen as this year’s recipient of the Louis and Artur Lucian Award.
The Lucian Award was established through a bequest to McGill University under the will of the late Olga Leibovici to honour her two brothers and was conferred for the first time in 1978. The $75,000 prize recognizes outstanding research in the field of circulatory diseases by a scientific investigator or group of investigators whose contribution to knowledge in this field is deemed worthy of special recognition.
“Dr. Harrison epitomizes everything that the Lucian award stands for – the highest quality innovative, impactful and clinically relevant cardiovascular research driven by a true leader who embodies excellence and a sense of shared mission,” says Terry Hébert, PhD, head of the selection committee and Assistant Dean, Biomedical Science Education and Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. “We are thrilled to be able to recognize him with this year’s Lucian Award.”
Dr. Harrison’s research is focused on molecular mechanisms responsible for hypertension, and he has made two seminal contributions that have significantly changed the direction of cardiovascular medicine. First, his group discovered that excessive vascular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a common problem in diseases such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. This leads to inactivation of endothelium-derived nitric oxide, altered vasomotion and contributes to the vascular inflammation that accompanies these diseases. His group further identified enzymatic sources responsible for excessive ROS production, and, in particular, defined the role of the NADPH oxidases as a major source of vascular ROS production.
In a game changing series of experiments, Dr. Harrison’s laboratory made a second discovery that has changed the course of hypertension research. He found that adaptive immunity, specifically T cells, are essential for the full development of hypertension in response to diverse stimuli such as angiotensin Il, high salt or norepinephrine. This discovery was transformational as he demonstrated that these stimuli lead to T cell activation and entry into the perivascular fat and kidney.
He has a strong record of mentorship, another area deeply considered when attributing the Lucian Award. Over his career, he has trained more than 70 postdoctoral fellows and leads an impressive training program for students and fellows focused on hypertension and blood pressure regulation. He has also been a dedicated mentor for numerous young faculty members and a cornerstone in the development of young leaders.
The award was presented to Dr. Harrison at McGill in May, when he travelled to Montreal to deliver the Lucian Award Lecture titled “Axl signaling and organ damage in hypertension.”
Congratulations, Dr. Harrison!