The American Heart Association will present its 2025 Chairman's Award to Dr. Amit Khera during the Association's Scientific Sessions in November. This prestigious award acknowledges Khera's distinguished accomplishments and service, particularly his leadership as chair of the Scientific Sessions in 2023 and during the Association's Centennial year in 2024. Lee A. Shapiro, J.D., the 2025-2026 volunteer chairperson of the National Board of Directors, emphasized Khera's exceptional volunteer leadership and significant contributions to strengthening the Association at both national and local levels.
As chair of the Scientific Sessions Program Committee, Khera facilitated greater collaboration among the Association's councils and committees to develop multidisciplinary educational content that appeals to a broad range of healthcare professionals and scientists. His professional career has transformed preventive cardiology through groundbreaking clinical studies and significant contributions to cardiovascular risk assessment. Khera's work includes impactful observations from the Dallas Heart Study on applications of coronary artery calcium scanning, research that has advanced the field's understanding of early disease detection.
One of the most notable applications of Khera's research extends beyond traditional medical settings into space exploration. He was funded by NASA to develop the Astro-CHARM calculator, which is currently used to screen astronauts for heart disease risks. This demonstrates the practical, far-reaching implications of his work in preventive cardiology. The cardiologist is also committed to improving care for those with familial hypercholesterolemia and is leading an innovative study evaluating the use of the blood donation system to screen blood donors for this genetic condition.
Khera's clinical and research interests were sparked during his residency in Boston when caring for a 45-year-old man hospitalized for his seventh heart procedure, an experience that inspired his passion for preventing coronary artery disease through risk assessment and modification. He has authored more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and served on the writing committee for the 2019 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, contributing to evidence-based standards that guide clinical practice worldwide.
As a past volunteer president of the Association's Dallas and Southwest Region Board of Directors, Khera drove local engagement and strategic impact across the cardiovascular community. He has been an integral member of the Association's Cardiovascular Kidney-Metabolic Health Scientific Advisory Group since 2022, working to harmonize gaps in clinical care and establish new roadmaps for patients with CKM syndrome. In addition to his clinical roles, Khera serves as associate editor for the Association's flagship peer-reviewed scientific journal Circulation and helped found the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology in 2020, where he also serves as associate editor.
Khera founded the UT Southwestern Preventive Cardiology program in 2004 and led the Cardiology Fellowship Program at UT Southwestern for 15 years, winning numerous teaching awards. His recognition as a Master of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology in 2023 and his past presidency of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology further underscore his standing as a leader in the field. The Chairman's Award recognition reflects not only Khera's individual achievements but also the broader importance of preventive cardiology in addressing cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death globally.
