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SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) – LSU Health Shreveport’s Christopher G. Kevil, PhD, LSU Health vice chancellor for research, has been given a prestigious award from the American Association for The Advancement of Science.
On April 18, it was announced that LSU Health Shreveport’s Christopher G. Kevil, PhD, LSU Health vice chancellor for research, has been named Fellow of the American Association for The Advancement of Science (AAAS), the largest general society and publisher of the Science family of journals.
Dr. Kevil is among 502 scientists, across the globe, including engineers, and innovators who have been elected as 2023 fellows for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements throughout their careers. He was elected for his distinguished contributions to the field of redox biology and cardiovascular disease, particularly with nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide regulation of oxidative stress.
“I am deeply honored to join the esteemed fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and appreciate LSU Health Shreveport for the supportive environment enabling important discoveries in cardiovascular disease that continues to be the leading cause of death and disability for all humans across the globe. Our work uncovered unique and new biochemical redox biology ‘salvage’ pathways regulating nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide during ischemia that stimulates increased blood vessel growth and function, which are defective during diseases such as peripheral artery disease (PAD) and diabetes,” said Dr. Kevil. “Our continued study of these pathways and metabolites is revealing novel approaches for therapeutic intervention that hold promise for future cardiovascular and inflammatory disease treatments”.
Dr. Kevil
During his time at LSU Health Shreveport, Dr. Kevil has established an internationally recognized cardiovascular research program, winning the facility numerous National Institute of Health grant awards, including the NIH Center of Biomedical Research Excellence for redox biology and cardiovascular disease, granting a five-year $10 million phase 2 grant.
“His research is globally known for discovering how reduced tissue blood flow results in nitrite conversion to nitric oxide and increases hydrogen sulfide formation, both of which are necessary for regulating oxidative stress and maintaining vascular function and health. His laboratory pioneered novel biochemical measurements of these metabolites in clinical samples revealing new pathological concepts of diseases such as peripheral artery disease (PAD), diabetes, and heart disease. These discoveries have been translated into clinical studies, new intellectual property for biomarkers and therapeutics including many U.S. and international patents, and the foundation of two biotechnology startup companies and collaborations with other biopharma companies,” explains LSU Health Shreveport.
Dr. Kevil joined LSU Health Shreveport’s Department of Pathology and Translational Pathobiology in 2002, returning to his alma mater where he earned his PhD in molecular and cellular physiology followed by a fellowship in pathobiology and functional genomics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
He is the second faculty member in the history of LSU Health Shreveport to be elected for this honor. Former Chair of Microbiology and Immunology and Boyd Professor Emeritus at LSUHS, Dennis O’Callaghan, PhD was the first in 2002.
“LSU Health Shreveport is proud of Dr. Chris Kevil as a 2023 AAAS fellow as this is a very distinguished honor. Dr. Kevil is deserving of this recognition as he embodies the organization’s mission to advance science and innovation. His impact on the study of cardiovascular disease has been remarkable and continues to evolve towards meaningful disease treatments all while inspiring the next generation of scientists to strive for excellence. To see one of our own achieve at this level is consequential as it reflects the opportunity to build a significant career at LSU Health Shreveport,” stated David Guzick, MD, PhD, chancellor of LSU Health Shreveport and a member of the National Academy of Medicine.
A celebration of the AAAS fellows will be held on Sept. 21. The fellows will receive a certificate and a gold and blue rosette pin, representing science and engineering, to commemorate their election. The 2023 Fellows will be featured in the AAAS News & Notes section of the journal Science in April 2024.
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