Dr. Scott M. Grundy was a preeminent physician-scientist whose pioneering work fundamentally transformed understanding of metabolic determinants of cardiovascular disease. He joined UT Southwestern Medical Center in 1981 as the founding Director of the Center for Human Nutrition, the first such dedicated enterprise at any American medical school, established through a generous gift from Peter O'Donnell Jr. and his wife Edith. Born in 1933, Dr. Grundy earned his bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University, followed by master's and medical degrees from Baylor College of Medicine, and completed his doctoral training at The Rockefeller University in New York City. Over his distinguished career spanning more than six decades, he established himself as a visionary leader whose research laid critical foundations for modern approaches to cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment.
Dr. Grundy's seminal research focused on cholesterol and lipoprotein metabolism, with over 400 original publications that revolutionized clinical practice in cardiovascular medicine. His notable scientific accomplishments included developing methods for measuring cholesterol balance and biliary lipid secretion in humans, identifying metabolic causes of cholesterol gallstones, and defining the effects of saturated and unsaturated fats on cholesterol metabolism. He made critical contributions to uncovering genetic defects underlying dyslipidemias and played a pivotal role in the development of statins, the widely used class of drugs now standard in preventing and treating atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. His research has had a profound effect on scientific knowledge across multiple fields related to nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular risk assessment, establishing principles that continue to guide clinical guidelines worldwide.
Beyond his research achievements, Dr. Grundy profoundly influenced the scientific community through his exceptional mentorship, having trained more than 100 research fellows and successfully guided numerous young faculty toward distinguished careers in cardiovascular research. His exceptional contributions were recognized with election to the National Academy of Medicine in 1995, the Bristol-Myers Squibb/Mead Johnson Award for Distinguished Achievement in Nutrition Research in 1997, and the American Heart Association Discovery Award in 2000. Dr. Grundy's enduring legacy continues through the Center for Human Nutrition at UT Southwestern, which advances research on nutrition's role in disease prevention, and through the Scott Grundy Director's Chair that perpetuates his commitment to scientific excellence. His work has made an indelible mark on cardiovascular medicine, with principles he established continuing to save countless lives through improved prevention and treatment strategies for heart disease.
