Daniel J. Rader, chair of the department of genetics and the Seymour Gray Professor of Molecular Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine, has been awarded the 2018 Gotto Prize by the International Atherosclerosis Society. The prize, which is given once every three years, recognizes outstanding scientific or medical advancement in understanding the causes and reducing the development of atherosclerosis—hardening and narrowing of the heart’s arteries as a result of fat buildup—which is the primary cause of cardiovascular disease.

The Society, based in Milan, called Dr. Rader “a leading translational scientist who has made major contributions to our understanding of lipoprotein metabolism. His work spans the full spectrum of translational research, extending from basic laboratory science to the development and testing of new therapeutic agents in humans. His [research] has had a major impact on current strategies to prevent and treat cardiovascular heart disease.”

Dr. Rader discovered endothelial lipase, an important regulator of HDL, and described its role in the metabolism of high-density lipoproteins. He also developed new methods for assessing HDL function in humans and tracing macrophage (white blood cell)-specific reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) in mice. RCT is a crucial pathway involved in the return of excess cholesterol from the body to the liver for eventual elimination.

Dr. Rader has also identified new genes and pathways involved in regulating lipoprotein metabolism and explaining its role in atherosclerosis. This approach, known as functional genomics, can identify possible new targets for medications and gene-editing techniques for addressing serious heart-related conditions.