Christie M. Ballantyne, MD

Christie M. Ballantyne, MD, is chief of the Section of Cardiology and the Section of Cardiovascular Research at Baylor College of Medicine, where he is also director of the Center for Cardiometabolic Disease and The Maria and Alando J. Ballantyne, M.D., Atherosclerosis Clinical Research Laboratory.

Dr Ballantyne is an internationally renowned expert on lipids, atherosclerosis, and the prevention of heart disease. His research on the prevention of heart disease led him to become an established investigator for the American Heart Association. Since 1988, he has received continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health to support his basic research on leukocyte-endothelial interactions and translational biomarkers.

Clarivate Web of Science named Dr Ballantyne as a “Highly Cited Researcher” from 2017 to 2022, being in the top 1% of the most-cited investigators. This distinction is based on his 800-plus journal publications in the areas of atherosclerosis, lipids, and inflammation. His research has led to the US Food and Drug Administration approvals of 2 biomarkers for cardiovascular risk prediction, and he has played a prominent role in the development and approval of new lipid-lowering therapies.

Dr Ballantyne's many professional accomplishments include being elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society for Clinical Investigation, and the Association of American Physicians. He is president of the National Lipid Association and serves on the editorial boards of Circulation and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. In 2012, he received the American College of Cardiology Distinguished Scientist Award.