Kenneth D. Bloch Memorial Lecture Vascular Biology

The Bloch Memorial Lecture is presented annually at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions. The Council on Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Perioperative and Resuscitation (3CPR) and the Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences (BCVS) leadership alternate each year inviting honorees to present a lecture on a topic of their choice.

On odd years, the lecture will be sponsored by the 3CPR Council. Current members of the 3CPR Leadership Committee and the 3CPR Nominating Committee will not be eligible to apply for or be nominated for the award.

On even years, the lecture will be sponsored by the BCVS Council. Current members of the BCVS Leadership Committee and the BCVS Nominating Committee will not be eligible to apply for or be nominated for the award.

Dr. Bloch has played a vital role in the governance and leadership of the American Heart Association over a number of years. Most recently Dr. Bloch served as Vice Chairman of the Committee on Scientific Sessions Program. Previously Dr. Bloch chaired the AHA’s Research Committee, was a member of the Board of Directors, served as chairman of our Council on Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Perioperative and Resuscitation (3CPR) and as a treasured member of SACC.

Biomedical research was his passion and he was never more at home than when working in the lab. It was there he studied the mechanisms regulating pulmonary vascular and ventricular remodeling, nitric oxide physiology and the role of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling in cardiovascular homeostasis. He made major contributions in these areas, most recently identifying novel small molecule inhibitors of BMP signaling.

His longstanding collaboration with Warren Zapol, MD, PhD, director of the Anesthesia Center for Critical Care Research and former anesthetist-in-chief, led to a joint appointment with the Department of Anesthesia and receipt of the Harvard Medical School (HMS) William T. G. Morton Professorship in 2007. Dr. Bloch received many awards over his remarkable career including the 2013 Meritorious Achievement Award from the American Heart Association and the 2014 Distinguished Achievement Award from the 3CPR Council of the American Heart Association.

Known across the MGH and the country for his commitment to training and mentorship, Dr. Bloch served as the associate director of the cardiovascular fellowship training program from 1990 to 2006 and was the principal investigator and guiding force for the T32 molecular cardiology training grant. He mentored three generations of cardiac fellows, particularly physician-scientists, taking a deep personal interest in their career development. He received the HMS Excellence in Tutoring Award in 2010 and the HMS Clifford Barger Excellence in Mentoring Award in 2012.

Award Recipients

• 2024 Jane E. Freedman, MD, FAHA
  2023 Marlene Rabinovitch, MD, FAHA
• 2022 Rhian M. Touyz, MBBCh, MSC(Med), PhD, FAHA, FMedSci
• 2021 Jane A. Leopold, MD, FAHA
• 2020 Ken Walsh, PhD, FAHA
• 2019 Evangelos D. Michelakis, MD, FAHA
• 2018 Sean M. Wu, MD, PhD
• 2017 Jason X.-J. Yuan, MD, PhD, FAHA
• 2016 Stefan Janssens, MD, PhD, FAHA
• 2015 Stephen L. Archer, MD, FAHA

Questions