Emory Physician Named President and Board Chairman of the National
Lipid Association
W. Virgil Brown, MD, Charles Howard professor of medicine at the Emory
University School of Medicine, was recently elected President and Chairman
of the Board of Directors of the National Lipid Association (NLA). The
board is composed of 30 members representing seven regional areas and
related organizations. The NLA was organized in 2002 from its regional
entity, the Southeast Lipid Association, for which Dr. Brown served
as the first president from 1998 to1999.
The NLA serves the community
of lipid professionals who manage patients with lipid disorders and
increased cardiovascular risk. Lipids are fats such as cholesterol and
triglycerides that circulate in the blood as components of particles
called lipoproteins. Lipoprotein cholesterol is measured to determine
risk of heart disease.
"I am highly honored to be
elected the first president of the NLA," said Dr. Brown. "The new Board
is representative of the very best in capable and dedicated health professionals
and I am looking forward to working with them to develop an organization
that will accelerate the current progress in preventing the nation's
number one killer through better management of lipid disorders.
"The awareness of the contribution
of lipid disorders to vascular disease has made lipid management a necessary
component of any system delivering medical care," he continued. "This
year, we’re focusing on defining the goals and objectives that will
make the NLA successful. We hope to involve all regions of the country
to define needs and develop programs that will serve those needs."
Dr. Brown came to Emory University
in 1991 as the Charles Howard Professor of Internal Medicine at the
Emory University School of Medicine. He also serves as the director
of the Division of Arteriosclerosis and Lipid Metabolism and has been
the chief of Medicine and Primary Care Services at the Atlanta Veterans’
Affairs Medical Center since 1998.
During his 38-year medical
career, Dr. Brown has focused research on the structure of metabolism
and lipoproteins. His research has helped define the role of lipase
enzymes in breaking down triglycerides so that they could be removed
from the blood stream by various organs in the body. Dr. Brown’s studies
have also helped understand how various dietary changes and medications
alter the metabolism of lipoproteins to correct high levels of cholesterol.
After receiving his undergraduate
degree in physics and chemistry from Emory University and his M.D. in
1964 from Yale University, Dr. Brown completed housestaff training in
Internal Medicine at John Hopkins then began his research career as
a Clinical Associate at the National Heart and Lung Institute (NIH).
Over the years, he has been very committed to the American Heart Association,
serving a term as the national president from 1991-1992.
He is currently a fellow
of both the American Heart Association and the American College of Physicians.
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