Christopher G. Kevil, PhD, Vice Chancellor for Research at LSU Health Shreveport (LSUHS), has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals.
Dr. Kevil is among the 502 scientists, engineers and innovators from across the globe who have been elected 2023 Fellows for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements throughout their career. He was elected for his distinguished contributions to the field of redox biology and cardiovascular disease, particularly with nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide regulation of oxidative stress.
A tradition dating back to 1874, election as an AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor, and all Fellows are expected to maintain the highest standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity. “As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the AAAS Fellows, AAAS is proud to recognize the newly elected individuals. This year’s class embodies scientific excellence, fosters trust in science throughout the communities they serve, and leads the next generation of scientists while advancing scientific achievements,” said Sudip Parikh, AAAS chief executive officer and executive publisher of the Science family of journals.
Dr. Kevil has established an internationally recognized cardiovascular research program at LSU Health Shreveport through numerous National Institutes of Health grant awards, including the NIH Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE) for Redox Biology and Cardiovascular Disease, the institution’s second CoBRE grant, which was recently awarded a five-year $10 million Phase 2 grant.
His research is globally known for discovering how reduced tissue blood flow results in nitrite conversion to nitric oxide and increases hydrogen sulfide formation, both of which are necessary for regulating oxidative stress and maintaining vascular function and health. His laboratory pioneered novel biochemical measurement of these metabolites in clinical samples revealing new pathological concepts of diseases such as peripheral artery disease (PAD), diabetes, and heart disease. These discoveries have been translated into clinical studies, new intellectual property for biomarkers and therapeutics including many U.S. and international patents, and the foundation of two biotechnology startup companies and collaborations with other biopharma companies.
“I am deeply honored to join the esteemed fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and appreciate LSU Health Shreveport for the supportive environment enabling important discoveries in cardiovascular disease that continues to be the leading cause of death and disability for all humans across the globe. Our work uncovered unique and new biochemical redox biology ‘salvage’ pathways regulating nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide during ischemia that stimulates increased blood vessel growth and function, which are defective during diseases such as peripheral artery disease (PAD) and diabetes,” said Kevil. “Our continued study of these pathways and metabolites is revealing novel approaches for therapeutic intervention that hold promise for future cardiovascular and inflammatory disease treatments”.
Kevil joined the LSUHS faculty in 2002 in the Department of Pathology and Translational Pathobiology returning to his alma mater where he earned a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Physiology followed by a fellowship in Pathobiology and Functional Genomics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
In December 2016, Dr. Kevil assumed leadership for research development and management at LSU Health Shreveport as the Vice Chancellor for Research and in 2017 was named Dean for the School of Graduate Studies.
Dr. Kevil is only the second faculty member in the history of LSU Health Shreveport to be elected to this honor. Former Chair of Microbiology and Immunology and Boyd Professor Emeritus at LSUHS, Dennis O’Callaghan, PhD was the first in 2002.
“LSU Health Shreveport is proud of Dr. Chris Kevil as a 2023 AAAS fellow as this is a very distinguished honor. Dr. Kevil is deserving of this recognition as he embodies the organization’s mission to advance science and innovation. His impact on the study of cardiovascular disease has been remarkable and continues to evolve towards meaningful disease treatments all while inspiring the next generation of scientists to strive for excellence. To see one of our own achieve at this level is consequential as it reflects the opportunity to build a significant career at LSU Health Shreveport,” stated David Guzick, MD, PhD, Chancellor of LSU Health Shreveport and a member of the National Academy of Medicine.
The AAAS will celebrate the 2023 AAAS Fellows at a forum on September 21, 2024. Fellows will receive a certificate and a gold and blue rosette pin that will represent science and engineering, respectively, to commemorate their election. That evening, AAAS will also celebrate the program’s 150th anniversary at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. The 2023 Fellows class will also be featured in the AAAS News & Notes section of the journal Science in April 2024.