2023 Symposium on the Longevity Factor HDL

The Speakers

  • Anand Rohatgi, M.D.
  • Professor of Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Division of Cardiology (US)
  • Dr. Rohatgi specializes in preventive cardiology. He earned his medical degree at Duke University School of Medicine. He completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Pennsylvania Health System and a cardiology fellowship at UT Southwestern. He also holds a master’s degree in clinical science from UT Southwestern. Board certified in cardiovascular disease and internal medicine, he joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2008.

    In addition to his clinical roles, Dr. Rohatgi is the Associate Program Director of UTSW’s Cardiovascular Fellowship, and he serves on several campus committees to enhance clinical research. He is an active CME speaker and has given several invited national talks.

    Dr. Rohatgi’s research focuses on the role of novel biomarkers in improving risk prediction for atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. Specifically, his main area of interest is the role of high-density-lipoproteins (HDL) in cardiovascular disease. He also focuses on high?risk populations, including those with diabetes and people of South Asian ancestry.

    He is currently the principal investigator of “The Genetic and Molecular Basis of Cholesterol Efflux” a five year study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 award and "Mentoring Patient Oriented Research in Deep Lipid Phenotyping for Cardiovascular Disease" a five year study funded by the NIH K24 award. He has received past awards for research from the American Heart Association.

    He also is the principal investigator of a five year study "Lipoprotein Metabolism and Excess Cardiometabolic Risk in South Asians" funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 award (2022~2027). This grant focused on novel markers of lipids like HDL function in South Asians utilizing the MASALA cohort in the U.S. and the U.K. biobank cohort in Europe.

    Dr. Rohatgi serves as a reviewer for a number of publications, including The Lancet, Journal of the American Medical Association, Journal of the American Heart Association, American Journal of Cardiology, and Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. He is an Associate Editor for Circulation and on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Clinical Lipidology.

    He is a Fellow of both the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association and a member of the American College of Physicians, the National Lipid Association, and the American Society of Preventive Cardiology, among other professional organizations. He also chairs the board of directors of the nonprofit Texas Loves Children.
  • Anna Schwendeman, Ph.D.
  • Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan(US)
  • Dr. Anna Schwendeman is the Hans W. Vahlteich Professor of Pharmacy, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and a member of Biointerfaces Institute at the University of Michigan. Her research focus is on the optimization of High-Density-Lipoprotein (HDL) nanoparticles for the treatment of atherosclerosis, sepsis, and drug delivery purposes. In 2016, she co-founded a company EVOQ Therapeutics that used HDL for immunotherapy delivery. EVOQ completed partnership deals with Amgen and Gilead to develop drugs for autoimmune diseases valued at 240M and 650M, respectively.

    Prior to starting her academic career in 2012, Dr. Schwendeman spent 12 years in the pharmaceutical industry at Cerenis Therapeutics, Pfizer, and Esperion Therapeutics. Esperion Therapeutics was acquired by Pfizer in 2004 for $1.3 billion.

    She was involved in the discovery and translation of HDL drugs to Phase II clinical trials. Currently, Dr. Schwendeman is a co-director of the FDA-funded Center for Research on Complex Generics.?
  • Theodoros Kelesidis, Ph.D.
  • Associate Professor, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Division of Infectious Diseases (US)
  • Theodoros Kelesidis, M.D., Ph.D., MSc, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a member of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine. Dr. Kelesidis earned his medical degree at the University of Athens Medical School and completed his doctorate degree and his master's degree at the University of California-Los Angeles.

    Dr. Kelesidis' research focuses on infectious diseases, immunology, and cardiometabolic complications of infectious diseases including HIV infection. His lab aims at understanding the complex interplay between oxidative stress, inflammation, and aberrant host responses that drive end-organ disease in infectious diseases.

    Dr. Kelesidis’ lab integrates both basic and translational research platforms with the goal to apply tools from multiple fields, such as immunology, virology, molecular biology, and medicine to understand the immunopathogenesis of infectious diseases.

    His vision is to define the mechanistic links between viral infections such as HIV and SARS-CoV-2 infection, oxidative stress, inflammation, and end-organ disease such as cardiovascular disease. These findings may lead to the development of novel therapeutic interventions that might improve the prognosis of patients infected with viruses such as HIV and SARS-CoV-2. He is recognized as an international expert on infectious diseases and cardiometabolic syndrome and has received numerous awards for his research.
  • Francesca Zimetti, Ph.D.
  • Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Department of Food and Drugs, University of Parma (ITA)
  • Francesca Zimetti obtained her PhD in Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Parma in 2006. She spent 2 years in the laboratory of Lipid Metabolism at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, USA, as Ph.D student from 2004 to 2006, and as post-doctoral fellow from 2006 to 2007.

    Since 2008 is working in the laboratory of Lipid Pharmacology directed by Prof. F. Bernini at the Department of Food and Drug of the University of Parma. She is currently associate Professor of Pharmacology. Her research activity mainly focuses on the cardiovascular system area, aimed to the investigation of mechanisms regulating lipid homeostasis and its modulation for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

    These studies are performed in vitro and ex vivo by using cell-based assays and different techniques and evaluating several cholesterol metabolism-related parameters. In particular, one aspect that is object of intense research is the evaluation of the capacity of human serum lipoproteins to maintain cellular cholesterol homeostasis (i.e., HDL capacity to promote cholesterol efflux, serum lipoprotein capacity to induce cholesterol accumulation).

    Recently, the interest has moved to the study of lipid metabolism in neurodegenerative diseases. This research activity focuses on the study of cerebral cholesterol metabolism and potential lipid-related factors altered in neurodegenerative disorders, for the identification of novel pharmacological targets or disease biomarkers. She published 67 papers in peer-reviewed journals (H-index: 26, Citations 2338).
  • Sarahi Mendoza Castaño, Ph.D.
  • Director of Research, Development and Innovation. National Center for Scientific Research(CUB)
  • Sarahi Mendoza Castaño has a degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences (1998) from the Institute of Pharmacy and Food of the University of Havana, Cuba. She started to work in the Pharmacology Laboratory at the Center of Natural Products (CPN) belonging to the Nacional Center for Scientific Research (CNIC), where she spent 4 years as a PhD student obtaining her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2007 with the demonstration of the lipid lowering and antiosteoporotic effects of a mixture of fatty acids obtained from sugarcane wax, from experimental pharmacology studies to clinical trials evidences.

    At the same time, she was in charge of the Quality Assurance Unit at CPN, from 1998 to 2015, which support her background in all aspect related with the integrated Quality System in accordance to the required Good Laboratory Practices (GLP); Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Clinical Practices (GCP). During this period (1998-2023) she has been linked with all activities related with the Research & Development process on Natural Products developed and marketed by CNIC, including beeswax alcohols (Abexol), sugarcane wax acids (Prevenox), Roystonea regia fruits acids (Palmex) and sugarcane wax alcohols (policosanol).

    She has been part of the group of researchers who have carried out the studies that support the effects of Cuban policosanol and its mechanism of action in preclinical and clinical trials, including recent studies in neurodegenerative diseases. Is the head of a project for developing a new drug for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

    Her work is supported by the large number of papers (more than 100) in international and national journals(H- index: 13), in the topics of pharmacology studies and clinical trials. She is one of the author of a patent granted in Cuba and applied abroad the book “A new pharmaceutical for the 21st century. The contribution of Latin America to the study of medicinal plants”. In addition, she has developed teaching activity, including training in Quality System as well as the tutorial of 1 Master Degree and 2 PhD theses on the subject of Experimental Pharmacology and Medical Sciences.
  • Javier Vicente Sánchez López, Dr., Ph.D.
  • President of the national commission on cerebrovascular diseases, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosciences(CUB)
  • Javier Vicente Sánchez López is graduated in Medicine in 1993, beginning his residency in Neurology at the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery of Cuba. He is a 1st (1996) and 2nd (2000) degree specialist in Neurology, and 1st (1997) and 2nd (2001) degree specialist in Intensive Care and Emergencies.

    He got a Master degree in Neurosciences and Biology of Behavior at the University “Pablo de Olavide”, Seville, Spain (2002). He is also Master in Medical Urgencies and Emergencies (2007) and Master in Cerebrovascular Diseases (2010). He is a Senior Professor and Senior Researcher. For 20 years he was the head of the Intensive Care Unit of the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery of Cuba.

    He had been linked during more than 25 years with the investigations that have allowed the study of the effects of policosanol and other natural products on cerebrovascular diseases, in particular, with the studies on ischemic stroke, and more recently, with the studies of policosanol on neurodegenerative disorders. He obtained the degree of Dr. in Medical Sciences in 2015 with the demonstration of the effects of policosanol in ischemic stroke.
    Author of more than 60 publications in international and national journals. Professor of more than 100 undergraduate and postgraduate courses related to neurosciences. and is currently the President of the National Commission for Cerebrovascular Diseases for the Ministry of Public Health.
  • Yoshinari UEHARA, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Professor, Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University Hospital (JPN)
  • Professor Uehara specializes in cardiovascular internal medicine, particularly atherosclerosis and lifestyle-related diseases such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.

    After graduating from Fukuoka University School of Medicine in 1993, he obtained his medical license in Japan and worked as a clinical resident at Fukuoka University Hospital.
    In 1995, he entered Fukuoka University Graduate School of Medicine, where he conducted research on the tissue forming system of angiotensin II, one of the blood pressure rising hormones, in vascular tissues and clarified the relationship between blood pressure and atherosclerosis, taking a doctoral degree.

    He then studied the relationship between angiotensin II and lipoproteins and the metabolism of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and has been engaged in research on HDL metabolism and HDL functionality such as cholesterol efflux at the University of Muenster, Germany (Prof. Assmann) since 2000 and at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland (Prof. von Eckardstein).

    Since 2003, he has been conducting research on the relationship between HDL and Alzheimer's disease in addition to research on atherosclerosis at the Department of Neurology, Fukuoka University Hospital and the Department of Pharmacology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine.

    Since 2015, he has been a full professor at the Faculty of Sports and Health Science, Fukuoka University, and is currently the Dean of the Graduate School of Sports and Health Science, Fukuoka University, where he is actively researching the role of HDL in skeletal muscle and the relationship between functional foods and HDL metabolism in addition to his series of HDL works.
  • Kyung Hyun Cho, Ph.D.
  • Head of RAYDEL Research Institute (KOR)
  • Professor Kyung-Hyun Cho’s top area of expertise is in lipoprotein metabolism, including structure and functions of lipoproteins such as Low-Density Lipoprotein(LDL) and High-Density-Lipoprotein (HDL). HDL is a strong antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anti-senescence agent in blood. HDL-cholesterol correlates with incidences of diabetes, atherosclerosis, and metabolic syndrome. However, HDL functionality can be impaired by artificial food ingredients (trans fat and sweetener) and environmental pollutant (environmental hormones and heavy metals). Prof. Cho is doing research to develop new medication and functional foods to treat hyperlipidemia and diabetes via inhibition of modification, such as oxidation and glycation on lipoproteins.

    Professor Cho obtained his Ph.D. from the Kyungpook National University of South Korea in 1998 and gained postdoctoral training at the University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign until 2000. He joined the Cleveland Clinic Foundation as a Research Doctor until 2001. After that, he worked at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology as Senior Scientist for four years. Then he moved to the Yeungnam University (YU) in 2005, where he was a Full Professor in the Department of Medical Biotechnology and Head of the Research Institute of Protein Sensor and BK21+ Serum Biomedical Research Team. Recently, he founded Raydel Research Institute (RRI) in the Daegu Medical Innovation Complex and currently works in the RRI as Head.

    Over the past 32 years of research in HDL field, Professor Cho published 164 SCI journals and filed 62 domestic and international patents. He has presented his work at numerous international conferences as a keynote speaker and plenary lecturer. Currently, he is in charge of a special issue of HDL Metabolism and Functionality in the Molecules and IJMS journal as a guest editor.
  • Anand Rohatgi, M.D.
  • Professor of Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Division of Cardiology (US)
  • Dr. Rohatgi specializes in preventive cardiology. He earned his medical degree at Duke University School of Medicine. He completed an internal medicine residency at the University of Pennsylvania Health System and a cardiology fellowship at UT Southwestern. He also holds a master’s degree in clinical science from UT Southwestern. Board certified in cardiovascular disease and internal medicine, he joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2008.

    In addition to his clinical roles, Dr. Rohatgi is the Associate Program Director of UTSW’s Cardiovascular Fellowship, and he serves on several campus committees to enhance clinical research. He is an active CME speaker and has given several invited national talks.

    Dr. Rohatgi’s research focuses on the role of novel biomarkers in improving risk prediction for atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. Specifically, his main area of interest is the role of high-density-lipoproteins (HDL) in cardiovascular disease. He also focuses on high?risk populations, including those with diabetes and people of South Asian ancestry.

    He is currently the principal investigator of “The Genetic and Molecular Basis of Cholesterol Efflux” a five year study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 award and "Mentoring Patient Oriented Research in Deep Lipid Phenotyping for Cardiovascular Disease" a five year study funded by the NIH K24 award. He has received past awards for research from the American Heart Association.

    He also is the principal investigator of a five year study "Lipoprotein Metabolism and Excess Cardiometabolic Risk in South Asians" funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 award (2022~2027). This grant focused on novel markers of lipids like HDL function in South Asians utilizing the MASALA cohort in the U.S. and the U.K. biobank cohort in Europe.

    Dr. Rohatgi serves as a reviewer for a number of publications, including The Lancet, Journal of the American Medical Association, Journal of the American Heart Association, American Journal of Cardiology, and Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. He is an Associate Editor for Circulation and on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Clinical Lipidology.

    He is a Fellow of both the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association and a member of the American College of Physicians, the National Lipid Association, and the American Society of Preventive Cardiology, among other professional organizations. He also chairs the board of directors of the nonprofit Texas Loves Children.
  • Anna Schwendeman, Ph.D.
  • Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan(US)
  • Dr. Anna Schwendeman is the Hans W. Vahlteich Professor of Pharmacy, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and a member of Biointerfaces Institute at the University of Michigan. Her research focus is on the optimization of High-Density-Lipoprotein (HDL) nanoparticles for the treatment of atherosclerosis, sepsis, and drug delivery purposes. In 2016, she co-founded a company EVOQ Therapeutics that used HDL for immunotherapy delivery. EVOQ completed partnership deals with Amgen and Gilead to develop drugs for autoimmune diseases valued at 240M and 650M, respectively.

    Prior to starting her academic career in 2012, Dr. Schwendeman spent 12 years in the pharmaceutical industry at Cerenis Therapeutics, Pfizer, and Esperion Therapeutics. Esperion Therapeutics was acquired by Pfizer in 2004 for $1.3 billion.

    She was involved in the discovery and translation of HDL drugs to Phase II clinical trials. Currently, Dr. Schwendeman is a co-director of the FDA-funded Center for Research on Complex Generics.?
  • Theodoros Kelesidis, Ph.D.
  • Associate Professor, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Division of Infectious Diseases (US)
  • Theodoros Kelesidis, M.D., Ph.D., MSc, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and a member of the Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine. Dr. Kelesidis earned his medical degree at the University of Athens Medical School and completed his doctorate degree and his master's degree at the University of California-Los Angeles.

    Dr. Kelesidis' research focuses on infectious diseases, immunology, and cardiometabolic complications of infectious diseases including HIV infection. His lab aims at understanding the complex interplay between oxidative stress, inflammation, and aberrant host responses that drive end-organ disease in infectious diseases.

    Dr. Kelesidis’ lab integrates both basic and translational research platforms with the goal to apply tools from multiple fields, such as immunology, virology, molecular biology, and medicine to understand the immunopathogenesis of infectious diseases.

    His vision is to define the mechanistic links between viral infections such as HIV and SARS-CoV-2 infection, oxidative stress, inflammation, and end-organ disease such as cardiovascular disease. These findings may lead to the development of novel therapeutic interventions that might improve the prognosis of patients infected with viruses such as HIV and SARS-CoV-2. He is recognized as an international expert on infectious diseases and cardiometabolic syndrome and has received numerous awards for his research.
  • Francesca Zimetti, Ph.D.
  • Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Department of Food and Drugs, University of Parma (ITA)
  • Francesca Zimetti obtained her PhD in Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Parma in 2006. She spent 2 years in the laboratory of Lipid Metabolism at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, USA, as Ph.D student from 2004 to 2006, and as post-doctoral fellow from 2006 to 2007.

    Since 2008 is working in the laboratory of Lipid Pharmacology directed by Prof. F. Bernini at the Department of Food and Drug of the University of Parma. She is currently associate Professor of Pharmacology. Her research activity mainly focuses on the cardiovascular system area, aimed to the investigation of mechanisms regulating lipid homeostasis and its modulation for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

    These studies are performed in vitro and ex vivo by using cell-based assays and different techniques and evaluating several cholesterol metabolism-related parameters. In particular, one aspect that is object of intense research is the evaluation of the capacity of human serum lipoproteins to maintain cellular cholesterol homeostasis (i.e., HDL capacity to promote cholesterol efflux, serum lipoprotein capacity to induce cholesterol accumulation).

    Recently, the interest has moved to the study of lipid metabolism in neurodegenerative diseases. This research activity focuses on the study of cerebral cholesterol metabolism and potential lipid-related factors altered in neurodegenerative disorders, for the identification of novel pharmacological targets or disease biomarkers. She published 67 papers in peer-reviewed journals (H-index: 26, Citations 2338).
  • Sarahi Mendoza Castaño, Ph.D.
  • Director of Research, Development and Innovation. National Center for Scientific Research(CUB)
  • Sarahi Mendoza Castaño has a degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences (1998) from the Institute of Pharmacy and Food of the University of Havana, Cuba. She started to work in the Pharmacology Laboratory at the Center of Natural Products (CPN) belonging to the Nacional Center for Scientific Research (CNIC), where she spent 4 years as a PhD student obtaining her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2007 with the demonstration of the lipid lowering and antiosteoporotic effects of a mixture of fatty acids obtained from sugarcane wax, from experimental pharmacology studies to clinical trials evidences.

    At the same time, she was in charge of the Quality Assurance Unit at CPN, from 1998 to 2015, which support her background in all aspect related with the integrated Quality System in accordance to the required Good Laboratory Practices (GLP); Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Clinical Practices (GCP). During this period (1998-2023) she has been linked with all activities related with the Research & Development process on Natural Products developed and marketed by CNIC, including beeswax alcohols (Abexol), sugarcane wax acids (Prevenox), Roystonea regia fruits acids (Palmex) and sugarcane wax alcohols (policosanol).

    She has been part of the group of researchers who have carried out the studies that support the effects of Cuban policosanol and its mechanism of action in preclinical and clinical trials, including recent studies in neurodegenerative diseases. Is the head of a project for developing a new drug for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

    Her work is supported by the large number of papers (more than 100) in international and national journals(H- index: 13), in the topics of pharmacology studies and clinical trials. She is one of the author of a patent granted in Cuba and applied abroad the book “A new pharmaceutical for the 21st century. The contribution of Latin America to the study of medicinal plants”. In addition, she has developed teaching activity, including training in Quality System as well as the tutorial of 1 Master Degree and 2 PhD theses on the subject of Experimental Pharmacology and Medical Sciences.
  • Javier Vicente Sánchez López, Dr., Ph.D.
  • President of the national commission on cerebrovascular diseases, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosciences(CUB)
  • Javier Vicente Sánchez López is graduated in Medicine in 1993, beginning his residency in Neurology at the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery of Cuba. He is a 1st (1996) and 2nd (2000) degree specialist in Neurology, and 1st (1997) and 2nd (2001) degree specialist in Intensive Care and Emergencies.

    He got a Master degree in Neurosciences and Biology of Behavior at the University “Pablo de Olavide”, Seville, Spain (2002). He is also Master in Medical Urgencies and Emergencies (2007) and Master in Cerebrovascular Diseases (2010). He is a Senior Professor and Senior Researcher. For 20 years he was the head of the Intensive Care Unit of the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery of Cuba.

    He had been linked during more than 25 years with the investigations that have allowed the study of the effects of policosanol and other natural products on cerebrovascular diseases, in particular, with the studies on ischemic stroke, and more recently, with the studies of policosanol on neurodegenerative disorders. He obtained the degree of Dr. in Medical Sciences in 2015 with the demonstration of the effects of policosanol in ischemic stroke.
    Author of more than 60 publications in international and national journals. Professor of more than 100 undergraduate and postgraduate courses related to neurosciences. and is currently the President of the National Commission for Cerebrovascular Diseases for the Ministry of Public Health.
  • Yoshinari UEHARA, M.D., Ph.D.
  • Professor, Department of Cardiology, Fukuoka University Hospital (JPN)
  • Professor Uehara specializes in cardiovascular internal medicine, particularly atherosclerosis and lifestyle-related diseases such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus.

    After graduating from Fukuoka University School of Medicine in 1993, he obtained his medical license in Japan and worked as a clinical resident at Fukuoka University Hospital.
    In 1995, he entered Fukuoka University Graduate School of Medicine, where he conducted research on the tissue forming system of angiotensin II, one of the blood pressure rising hormones, in vascular tissues and clarified the relationship between blood pressure and atherosclerosis, taking a doctoral degree.

    He then studied the relationship between angiotensin II and lipoproteins and the metabolism of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and has been engaged in research on HDL metabolism and HDL functionality such as cholesterol efflux at the University of Muenster, Germany (Prof. Assmann) since 2000 and at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland (Prof. von Eckardstein).

    Since 2003, he has been conducting research on the relationship between HDL and Alzheimer's disease in addition to research on atherosclerosis at the Department of Neurology, Fukuoka University Hospital and the Department of Pharmacology, Fukuoka University School of Medicine.

    Since 2015, he has been a full professor at the Faculty of Sports and Health Science, Fukuoka University, and is currently the Dean of the Graduate School of Sports and Health Science, Fukuoka University, where he is actively researching the role of HDL in skeletal muscle and the relationship between functional foods and HDL metabolism in addition to his series of HDL works.
  • Kyung Hyun Cho, Ph.D.
  • Head of RAYDEL Research Institute (KOR)
  • Professor Kyung-Hyun Cho’s top area of expertise is in lipoprotein metabolism, including structure and functions of lipoproteins such as Low-Density Lipoprotein(LDL) and High-Density-Lipoprotein (HDL). HDL is a strong antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anti-senescence agent in blood. HDL-cholesterol correlates with incidences of diabetes, atherosclerosis, and metabolic syndrome. However, HDL functionality can be impaired by artificial food ingredients (trans fat and sweetener) and environmental pollutant (environmental hormones and heavy metals). Prof. Cho is doing research to develop new medication and functional foods to treat hyperlipidemia and diabetes via inhibition of modification, such as oxidation and glycation on lipoproteins.

    Professor Cho obtained his Ph.D. from the Kyungpook National University of South Korea in 1998 and gained postdoctoral training at the University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign until 2000. He joined the Cleveland Clinic Foundation as a Research Doctor until 2001. After that, he worked at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology as Senior Scientist for four years. Then he moved to the Yeungnam University (YU) in 2005, where he was a Full Professor in the Department of Medical Biotechnology and Head of the Research Institute of Protein Sensor and BK21+ Serum Biomedical Research Team. Recently, he founded Raydel Research Institute (RRI) in the Daegu Medical Innovation Complex and currently works in the RRI as Head.

    Over the past 32 years of research in HDL field, Professor Cho published 164 SCI journals and filed 62 domestic and international patents. He has presented his work at numerous international conferences as a keynote speaker and plenary lecturer. Currently, he is in charge of a special issue of HDL Metabolism and Functionality in the Molecules and IJMS journal as a guest editor.