The American Heart Association’s Council on Hypertension recently honored OREI director Kamal Rahmouni, PhD, by selecting him for the 2023 Arthur C. Corcoran Memorial Lecture award. This Lecture is one of the most prestigious awards bestowed by the Council on Hypertension and is awarded annually at the American Heart Association Hypertension Scientific Sessions. The awardee is chosen for their outstanding work in the field of hypertension. This Lecture award was established in 1977 in honor of Dr. Arthur Curtis Corcoran and his pioneering work in hypertension research.

Dr. Rahmouni was honored during the Hypertension 2023 Scientific Sessions in Boston, September 7 – 10, 2023. In giving this prestigious lecture, he joined the list of esteemed previous winners of this award which includes several Nobel prize laureates.

The award honored Dr. Rahmouni for his impactful work showing how central neuronal mechanisms link metabolic and cardiovascular states. Furthermore, he showed how alterations in these mechanisms cause autonomic dysfunction and blood pressure elevation in obesity and diabetes. The ongoing epidemic of obesity is associated with high prevalence of hypertension, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. His laboratory has been at the forefront of this important field of research. His scientific contributions have led to over 160 publications. His work has helped us understand how increased adipose tissue in obesity leads to high blood pressure. He has identified novel molecular processes that underlie obesity and associated cardiovascular risks including hypertension.

Congratulations to OREI director Dr. Rahmouni for such a lofty accomplishment and award.