George S. Abela

Dr. George S. Abela is a clinician scientist, Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Cardiology Division at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. He then worked as an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and was a director of Interventional Research and Cardiovascular Photobiology Laboratory at Deaconess Hospital as well as co-director of the Institute for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease at Harvard Medical School. During his tenure at Michigan State University, he served in different positions including Laboratory Director, Chief of the Division of Cardiology, Professor of Medicine, and Program Director for Cardiovascular Fellowship training program.

Research & career His research interests include atherosclerosis, platelet aggregation, vascular injury, plaque rupture, imaging atherosclerotic plaque, and thrombosis. Abela's laboratory studies the role of cholesterol crystals in plaque rupture and thrombosis leading to heart attacks and strokes. This led to the discovery that when cholesterol changes from a liquid to a solid crystal phase its greater volume leads to arterial wall tears; by avoiding alcohol use in tissue processing for microscopy, the role of cholesterol crystal injury became evident. He also conducted research on laser systems for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and on the rare and serious unforeseen complication of lesions during balloon angioplasty (CBA).

Awards Abela was the recipient of the 1998 Caroline and William Mark Memorial Award by the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery.

Additional awards include the Ellet Drake Lectureship Award, Mark B. Award, Distinguished Research Mentor Award and Outstanding Clinician Award. He is a fellow of American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, Royal Society of Medicine.