Dr. Gerald W. Dorn II is a distinguished leader in cardiovascular medicine and translational research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He currently holds the prestigious Philip and Sima K. Needleman Professor of Medicine position and serves as Associate Chairman for Translational Research and Director of the Center for Pharmacogenomics. With a medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina and undergraduate training at Lander College, he established his academic career through significant leadership roles at the University of Cincinnati, where he advanced to become the Mable Stonehill Professor, director of the division of cardiology, and director of the Center for Molecular Cardiovascular Research. His move to Washington University in January 2008 marked a strategic expansion of his influential work in bridging basic science discoveries with clinical applications.
Dr. Dorn's groundbreaking research program focuses on understanding how the heart adapts to increased stress and the mechanisms by which these adaptive processes ultimately fail in heart disease. His multidisciplinary approach integrates findings from human genetics studies with experiments in genetically manipulated mouse and fly models, complemented by sophisticated cell and molecular biology investigations. As a top researcher in pharmacogenomics, he has made significant contributions to understanding how genetic variations determine individual patient responses to heart failure therapy, positioning him at the forefront of personalized cardiovascular medicine. His work epitomizes the ideals of 21st century medicine where basic science discoveries reshape and vastly improve healthcare on a personal level, with direct implications for developing more effective, individualized treatments for cardiac patients.
Beyond his laboratory achievements, Dr. Dorn has demonstrated exceptional leadership in the medical research community as a member of the Association of American Physicians and the American Society for Clinical Investigation. He maintains fellowships with the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the American College of Physicians, reflecting his standing among the most respected cardiovascular researchers. With over 160 scientific publications, book chapters, and invited reviews to his name, he serves on the editorial boards of several major scientific journals and is frequently sought as a speaker at national and international conferences. Dr. Dorn continues to advance the BioMed 21 initiative at Washington University, leveraging the institution's excellence in human genomics to pioneer new ground in personalized medicine directed by individual genetic testing for cardiac conditions.
