Dr. Charles H. Hennekens is a distinguished medical epidemiologist and global leader in preventive medicine whose groundbreaking work has transformed cardiovascular disease prevention. He currently serves as the Interim Chair of the Population Health Department, First Sir Richard Doll Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine, and Senior Academic Advisor at Florida Atlantic University's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. Previously, he held the prestigious positions of first John Snow Professor and first Eugene Braunwald Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, while also serving as the first Chief of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. A graduate of Weill Cornell Medicine with residency training at New York Presbyterian Hospital, he completed his public health training with a fellowship at the Harvard School of Public Health. His distinguished career spanning over five decades has established him as one of the most influential figures in modern epidemiology and clinical research.
Dr. Hennekens pioneered the landmark Physician's Health Study as its founding Principal Investigator, making the first scientific demonstration that aspirin can prevent initial heart attacks and that its administration during acute myocardial infarction reduces subsequent strokes and cardiovascular mortality. His transformative research has directly contributed to clinical guidelines worldwide, with therapeutic applications saving an estimated 1.1 million lives, a contribution that earned him the number 81 ranking in history by Science Heroes, ahead of Jonas Salk and Henry Heimlich. With an h-index of 173, he ranks among the top scientists globally and was the third most widely cited medical researcher worldwide from 1995 to 2005, reflecting the extraordinary impact of his work across the medical community. As of April 2024, Dr. Hennekens has authored or co-authored 993 peer-reviewed publications, including 661 original reports, 327 commentaries and reviews, and five authoritative textbooks that have shaped medical education and practice.
Beyond his research achievements, Dr. Hennekens has served as a Special Government Employee and consultant to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 2002, providing critical expertise that informs regulatory decisions affecting public health globally. He continues to shape medical research through his leadership on numerous Data and Safety Monitoring Boards for large-scale randomized clinical trials, ensuring scientific rigor and ethical standards in pivotal studies. His exceptional mentorship has cultivated the next generation of medical leaders, with five of the world's top twenty most cited medical researchers having been his former fellows or trainees. Currently advancing population health initiatives at Florida Atlantic University, Dr. Hennekens remains actively engaged in research that bridges epidemiological discovery with practical clinical applications, continuing his lifelong commitment to translating scientific evidence into life-saving medical practice.
