American Heart Association Council Honors Iowa Cardiologist for his Distinguished Career Benefitting Physicians and Their Patients

CHICAGO, Nov. 17, 2014 — The American Heart Association’s Council on Clinical Cardiology presented its highest honor, the James B. Herrick Award for Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Cardiology, to Kanu Chatterjee, M.B., of the University of Iowa, “in grateful recognition of his distinguished and productive career benefitting physicians and their patients worldwide.”

Chatterjee, clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine, received the award at the council’s annual Business and Awards Dinner held at the AHA Scientific Sessions 2014 at Chicago’s McCormick Place. Clinical Cardiology Council Chair Richard L. Page, M.D., presented the award, a medallion and citation. Chatterjee also delivered the Herrick Lecture at the council meeting.

“Kanu Chatterjee is a uniquely gifted and insightful physician, teacher and scientist widely regarded as one of the pre-eminent academic cardiologists,” Page said in presenting the award. “His contributions to education, research and patient care have enhanced the practice of cardiology, with a positive impact that will extend to many future generations.”

Born in Bangladesh, Chatterjee finished medical school in Calcutta, India, while living in a refugee camp. After medical school he worked at London’s St. George’s and Brompton hospitals. He moved to Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in 1971. There he and his colleagues described subsets of patients with acute coronary syndrome and provided insights into appropriate drug therapy. In 1975 he moved to the University of California, San Francisco, where he continued to study heart failure and coronary artery disease. His clinically oriented discoveries, coupled with a legendary teaching style and ardent professionalism, brought him wide acclaim, Page said.

In 2009 Chatterjee retired as Gallo Professor of Medicine at UCSF and moved to the University of Iowa, where he holds the Kanu and Docey Edwards Chatterjee Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine. “Dr. Chatterjee is an outstanding ambassador for academic clinicians and a highly deserving recipient of this admired award,” said Page.

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