UT Southwestern Cardiologist Amit Khera Receives Prestigious 2025 Chairman's Award from American Heart Association

Dr. Amit Khera, director of preventive cardiology and clinical chief of cardiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, will receive the 2025 Chairman's Award at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions in November 2025. This prestigious recognition acknowledges Dr. Khera's distinguished accomplishments and extensive service to the American Heart Association, particularly his leadership roles in strengthening the annual Scientific Sessions during his tenure as chair in 2023 and 2024, and as vice chair in 2021 and 2022.

Lee A. Shapiro, J.D., the 2025-2026 volunteer chairperson of the National Board of Directors for the American Heart Association, emphasized Dr. Khera's exceptional contributions to the organization. As chair of the Scientific Sessions Program Committee, Dr. Khera facilitated greater collaboration among the Association's councils and committees to provide multidisciplinary educational content that appeals to a broad range of healthcare professionals and scientists. His leadership has significantly enhanced both the Association and its flagship Scientific Sessions, which serves as a premier global exchange of the latest scientific advancements in cardiovascular science.

Dr. Khera's professional career has transformed the field of preventive cardiology through groundbreaking clinical studies and significant contributions to cardiovascular risk assessment. His work with the Dallas Heart Study has produced impactful observations on applications of coronary artery calcium scanning, advancing how medical professionals assess heart disease risk. Notably, Dr. Khera received funding from NASA to develop the Astro-CHARM calculator, which is currently used to screen astronauts for heart disease risks, demonstrating the far-reaching implications of his research beyond traditional medical settings.

His commitment to improving care for those with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) includes leading an innovative study evaluating the use of the blood donation system to screen blood donors for FH. This approach could revolutionize early detection of genetic heart conditions through existing healthcare infrastructure. Dr. Khera's clinical interests in preventive cardiology were sparked during his residency in Boston when he cared for a 45-year-old man hospitalized for his seventh heart procedure, motivating his focus on risk assessment and risk factor modification in people with premature and family histories of cardiovascular disease.

As an active member of the Association's Cardiovascular Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) Health Scientific Advisory Group since 2022, Dr. Khera has contributed to initiatives addressing gaps in clinical care and establishing new roadmaps for patients with CKM syndrome. His extensive publication record includes more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and service on the writing committee for the "2019 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease." Dr. Khera also serves as an associate editor for the Association's flagship scientific journal Circulation and helped found the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology in 2020.

The recognition of Dr. Khera's work underscores the growing importance of preventive cardiology in addressing cardiovascular disease, which remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide. His innovative approaches to risk assessment and early detection have implications for both clinical practice and public health strategies, potentially transforming how healthcare systems approach heart disease prevention. The award ceremony will take place during the Presidential Session on November 9, 2025, at the Scientific Sessions in New Orleans, where Dr. Khera's contributions will be celebrated by the global cardiovascular community.