Hypertension and Healthcare

Biography

Dr. Robert Roberts completed his undergraduate (Memorial University), Medical school (Dalhousie University) and training in cardiology (University of Toronto) in Canada. He was recruited to Washington University in St. Louis as Director of the Coronary Care unit (1973-1982). In 1982 he was recruited to Baylor College of Medicine in Houston as Chief of Cardiology where he served for 23 years and was recruited as President and CEO of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) where he completed two 5 year terms (2004 to 2014). He developed the first quantitative assay for MBCK, followed by a radioimmunoassay. MBCK was used as the gold standard to diagnose heart attacks for three decades. He discovered several genes for the familial cardiomyopathies, including the first gene for atrial fibrillation, WPW Syndrome and CAD (9p21) along with co-discoverer of over 90 genetic risk variants predisposing to CAD and 95 genetic variants regulating plasma lipids. As a pioneer of molecular cardiology, he edited the first textbook on molecular cardiology. Dr. Roberts is recognized as a leader in the research and practice of cardiology worldwide. Dr. Roberts for 25 years has been associate Editor of Hurst The Heart, a leading textbook in cardiology. Dr. Roberts is Editor in Chief of Current Opinion in Cardiology, Chief Guest Editor of JACC BTS, Genomics Section Editor for JACC, Associate Editor of Cardiology Today and on the editorial board of 18 other journals. In recognition of his scientific contributions (over 900 publications). Dr. Roberts has had a distinguished and prolific international career as a Cardiologist, Educator, Scientist and spokesman having lectured throughout the world including several prestigious presentations: Plenary addresses of the American College of Cardiology, (Simon Dack Lectureship), the Japanese College of Cardiology, the Japanese College of Circulation, the Australian and New Zealand Heart Association (Hall Lecture), the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, Indonesian Heart Society and the International Academy of Cardiology. In 2013 he addressed The Royal Canadian Institute for the advancement of science. Under Dr. Roberts leadership, the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) flourished. He founded and directed The Ruddy Canadian Cardiovascular Genetics Centre, and established The Research Methods Centre.

Research Interest

Coronary Artery Disease, Molecular Biology and Genetics to Heart Disease and cardiovascular genetics, Molecular cardiology