Announcement: Dr. Robert Hegele re-appointed Jacob J. Wolfe Distinguished Medical Research Chair in Human Gene Function
Dr. Robert Hegele
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Robert Hegele, Distinguished University Professor, has been re-appointed as the Jacob J. Wolfe Distinguished Medical Research Chair in Human Gene Function at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, effective April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2030.
The Jacob J. Wolfe Distinguished Medical Research Chair in Human Gene Function Chair is dedicated to advancing the understanding of the molecular basis of disease through implementation of emerging genomic and proteomic strategies that are logical outcomes of landmark achievements such as the human genome project.
Dr. Hegele received his medical degree from the University of Toronto. Specialty training in internal medicine and endocrinology was followed by four years of post-doctoral training, first at Rockefeller University, New York City, in heart disease and cholesterol, and then in human genetics at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In 1997, he joined the Robarts Research Institute where he became Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry at Western University in 1999. In 2007, he became Distinguished University Professor, Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University.
Dr. Hegele was recognized by the American Heart Association with the 2019 George Lyman Duff Award and Lectureship in Atherosclerosis Research. He is only the second Canadian in 68 years to have received this recognition.
He also received the 2020 Familial Hypercholesterolemia Foundation (US) Pioneer Award for Improving Care of Those Living with FH and the 2024 US National Lipid Association W. Virgil Brown Distinguished Achievement Award – where in both cases he was the first Canadian to have received these recognitions.
The research accomplishments that led to these awards – including developing new genetic diagnostic methods and evaluating new drug treatments for cholesterol – are supported by the Jacob J. Wolfe Distinguished Medical Research Chair in Human Gene Function.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Hegele on his re-appointment.
John Yoo, MD, FRCS(C), FACS
Dean, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
Western University
