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Eugene Braunwald
CVCT - Jason Dixson Photography - 124016 - 2143.jpg
Braunwald, 2017
Born (1929-08-15) August 15, 1929 (age 95)
Vienna, Austria
Nationality American
Alma mater New York University
Spouse(s)
Nina Starr
(m. 1952; her death 1992)

Elaine Smith
Children 3
Awards American College of Cardiology Distinguished Scientist Award (1986)
Scientific career
Fields Medical research,
Cardiology
Institutions National Institutes of Health

Eugene Braunwald (born August 15, 1929) is a famous American heart doctor who was born in Austria. He has made many important discoveries about the heart and how to treat heart diseases. He is known for his work in understanding and treating heart conditions like heart failure and heart attacks.

Early Life and Education

Growing Up and Becoming a Doctor

Eugene Braunwald was born in Vienna, Austria, on August 15, 1929. He studied at New York University, where he earned his first degree and then his medical degree. After that, he completed his training in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

He became interested in heart medicine while he was a medical student. He learned a lot by working at a heart clinic. He also took special courses in Mexico City at the National Institute of Cardiology. He believed that learning directly from patients was the best way to become a good doctor.

Family Life

In 1952, Dr. Braunwald married Nina Starr, who was also a very talented doctor and researcher. She was a surgeon who worked on the chest. They had three children together. Nina Starr Braunwald passed away in 1992. Later, Dr. Braunwald married his second wife, Elaine.

Career and Contributions

Leading Heart Research Centers

Dr. Braunwald has had a long and important career in medicine. He was the chief of cardiology and clinical director at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. This is a big research center that is part of the National Institutes of Health in the United States.

From 1968 to 1972, he helped start the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. He then moved to Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in 1972. He led the Department of Medicine there until 1996. Many top scientists who study medicine worked in his department during his time as leader.

Important Discoveries About the Heart

Dr. Braunwald's work has greatly increased what we know about heart diseases. He has published over 1000 articles in medical journals. His research has helped us understand congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and valvular heart disease. These are all different types of heart problems.

He was a key person in the TIMI (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction) studies. These studies helped doctors understand that heart attacks happen when blood clots form on hardened arteries. This understanding led to new treatments that can reduce damage to the heart during a heart attack.

Writing Medical Textbooks

Dr. Braunwald is also the editor of a very important textbook called Braunwald's Heart Disease. This book is used by heart doctors all over the world and has been updated many times. He also helped edit Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, another major medical textbook, for more than 30 years.

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Braunwald has received many awards for his amazing work in medicine.

  • In 1966, he received the Jacobi Medallion for his great achievements in medicine.
  • In 1986, he was given the Distinguished Scientist Award by the American College of Cardiology.
  • In 2001, he received The Warren Alpert Foundation Prize.
  • In 2002, he shared the King Faisal Prize for Medicine with Professor Finn Waagstein.
  • In 2004, he was the first person to win the Libin/AHFMR Prize for Excellence in Cardiovascular Research.
  • In 2010, he received an honorary degree from the University of Rochester.
  • In 2013, he received another honorary degree from the University of Salerno in Italy.

Dr. Braunwald's contributions have been recognized by his election to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Harvard Medical School also created a special position in his name to honor him. The American Heart Association also created an award for mentoring young scientists in his honor.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Eugene Braunwald para niños

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