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Newswise — DALLAS – Nov. 13, 2024 – , Professor and Chair Designate of Epidemiology in the  at UT Southwestern Medical Center, is a 2024 recipient of the American Heart Association’s (AHA) highest commendation, the . The honor recognizes Dr. He’s prolific research on reducing the risks of cardiometabolic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and chronic kidney disease.

Dr. He, who joined UT Southwestern in July, has authored more than 750 peer-reviewed research articles with over 170,000 citations. He has been principal investigator or co-investigator for more than 50 National Institutes of Health-funded studies. Dr. He has mentored more than 100 successful graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior faculty members during his three-decade career.

“UT Southwestern is well-established as a national leader in basic and clinical biomedical research,” said Dr. He, who is also Director of Implementation Research in the . “I look forward to working with colleagues to build a world-class Epidemiology Department and playing an important role in making UTSW a global leader in basic, clinical, and population-level cardiometabolic disease research.”

As the former Chair of Epidemiology at Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine and Director of the university’s Translational Science Institute, Dr. He conducted groundbreaking research on epidemiology and prevention of chronic diseases aimed at improving health around the world. He led the first large population study to document the “epidemiologic transition” of disease patterns from infectious diseases to chronic diseases in developing countries. 

Dr. He's research on the global burdens of hypertension, the effect of passive smoking on myocardial infarction, and the role of dietary sodium intake in cardiovascular disease helped develop national and international public health policies. He designed and rigorously tested highly effective and scalable interventions for hypertension control and cardiovascular disease prevention in resource-constrained settings. His research has had a significant global impact.

In a  involving 40,000 patients from 362 villages in China, Dr. He and his team reported that training nonphysician community health workers to treat hypertension with a simple protocol led to marked improvements in hypertension control and a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Dr. He is eager to build a robust program of population research in the new Department of Epidemiology, which will launch in January. “Our ultimate goal is to improve population health by integrating public health and primary care, linking the community with the health care system, and delivering health care and prevention in communities, especially those experiencing health disparities,” he said. He plans to partner with Dallas-area health care systems, public health agencies, community organizations, and community members to achieve these goals.

, Founding Dean of the O’Donnell School of Public Health, which welcomed its first students in 2023, said Dr. He’s background as an interventionist matches the school’s ethos of excellence for impact. 

“We believe that public health scientists should not be bystanders who only observe and document,” Dr. Omer said. “Dr. He has been an integral part of developing and evaluating solutions for complex health problems. He’s done so in service of informing clinical recommendations, public health recommendations, and policy that directly affects patients.” 

Dr. Omer also noted the value of Dr. He’s commitment to mentoring, which Dr. He considers a vital part of his work.

“As a professor working in an academic setting, one of our greatest priorities is training the next generation of leaders, researchers, and practitioners,” said Dr. He, who received his doctorate in epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “It always makes me happy to see my mentees go on to become successful national experts.”

Dr. He also was inducted into the  in October “for transforming cardiovascular disease prevention efforts worldwide.” He will receive the Distinguished Scientist award at the opening ceremony of the AHA’s centennial celebration Nov. 16 in Chicago.  

“I deeply appreciate all the help from my mentors, colleagues, trainees, and family that has made this work possible,” Dr. He said. “My wife is a Professor of Internal Medicine, a clinical researcher, and a dedicated collaborator. My son will soon graduate from medical school, and I hope he becomes a physician-scientist. Many thanks to my supportive family, who understand and tolerate my long working hours.”

Dr. He’s wife, , is Professor in the , in the Charles and Jane Pak Center for Mineral Metabolism and Clinical Research, and in the O’Donnell School of Public Health. Dr. He holds the S. Roger and Carolyn P. Horchow Chair in Cardiac Research, in Honor of Jere H. Mitchell, M.D. Dr. Omer holds the Lyda Hill Deanship of the School of Public Health.

About UT Southwestern Medical Center   

UT Southwestern, one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers, integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty members have received six Nobel Prizes and include 25 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 24 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 14 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. The full-time faculty of more than 3,200 is responsible for groundbreaking medical advances and is committed to translating science-driven research quickly to new clinical treatments. UT Southwestern physicians provide care in more than 80 specialties to more than 120,000 hospitalized patients, more than 360,000 emergency room cases, and oversee nearly 5 million outpatient visits a year.