Richard N. Kitsis, M.D., professor of medicine and of cell biology, the Dr. Gerald and Myra Dorros Chair in Cardiovascular Disease, and director of the Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research Institute at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, will receive the American Heart Association (AHA) Distinguished Scientist Award on November 7 at the association's Scientific Sessions in Chicago. The award is the AHA's highest scientific honor and recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to cardiovascular disease and stroke research. Since the award was established in 2003, only 165 scientists—including 14 Nobel laureates—have received this distinction.

The AHA selected Dr. Kitsis for his pioneering contributions to the understanding of basic mechanisms of cell death and their role in myocardial infarction (heart attack). His work demonstrated that most heart muscle damage during myocardial infarction is caused by regulated cell death programs (pathways that drive cell suicide). The amount of early damage to the heart muscle is a major determinant of whether a patient will go on to develop lethal heart failure. Dr. Kitsis delineated interconnections among these cell death processes, identifying molecules that can be targeted with drugs to reduce heart damage during a heart attack.

Dr. Kitsis joined the Einstein faculty in 1991 and formerly served as chief of cardiology at Montefiore Einstein. He is also a member of the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center and of the New York Regional Diabetes Research Center.