Jennifer S. Lawton, M.D., FAHA, a cardiac surgeon and translational researcher, will receive the 2026 Basic Research Prize from the American Heart Association at its Scientific Sessions in Chicago, Nov. 6-9, 2026. The award, presented during the Presidential Session on Sunday, Nov. 8, recognizes her pioneering work in myocardial protection and neuroprotection during cardiac surgery. The significance of this recognition extends beyond a single career honor: it underscores the vital role of basic cardiovascular research in developing therapies that directly reduce injury and improve outcomes for patients undergoing complex heart operations.
Dr. Lawton, formerly the Richard B. Darnall Professor of Surgery and chief of the division of cardiac surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is now faculty at the University of Maryland. Her laboratory has advanced the understanding of adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels and the cardioprotective effects of diazoxide, uncovering mechanisms that reduce myocardial injury during ischemia and reperfusion. That work led to the first FDA-regulated, first-in-human Phase I Safety and Feasibility Trial of Cardioplegia with Diazoxide (CPG-DZX). She has also investigated neurologic injury during circulatory arrest, helping to refine protective strategies used in cardiac surgery.
Manesh R. Patel, M.D., FAHA, the American Heart Association's 2026-2027 volunteer president, said, “Congratulations to Dr. Jennifer Lawton, whose groundbreaking research has advanced the understanding of myocardial protection and transformed the translation of basic cardiovascular science into therapies that improve patient care. She is an innovative scientist, accomplished surgeon and exceptional leader whose contributions have advanced cardiovascular research and inspire the next generation of physician-scientists.”
The implications of Dr. Lawton's selection are twofold. First, it highlights how laboratory discoveries about KATP channels and diazoxide have moved from bench to bedside, potentially changing how surgeons protect the heart during procedures that require stopping blood flow. Second, her expanded focus on brain protection during hypothermic circulatory arrest addresses a persistent complication of complex cardiac operations, where neurologic injury can offset surgical success. Her sustained funding from the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association and the Thoracic Surgery Foundation reflects the long-term investment needed to turn mechanistic insights into clinical practice.
Beyond research, Dr. Lawton has mentored dozens of medical students, residents, fellows and postdoctoral researchers, many of whom now lead academic programs worldwide. She has authored more than 250 scientific manuscripts and held leadership roles with national surgical organizations, editorial boards and professional societies. She served as deputy editor for the Annals of Thoracic Surgery and on the editorial boards of the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, JAMA Cardiology and the European Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery. She also chaired the AHA/ACC/SCAI Guideline Writing Committee for Coronary Artery Revascularization from 2019 to 2021 and the Heart Association's Basic Science Surgery Study Section from 2013 to 2015.
“It is an incredible honor to receive this recognition from the American Heart Association, an organization that has supported numerous projects throughout my career and is a champion supporter of cardiovascular research across the spectrum,” Dr. Lawton said. “I look forward to continuing my journey of scientific discovery, collaboration and improving outcomes for patients through research.”
Dr. Lawton earned her bachelor's degree from Allegheny College and her medical degree from Hahnemann University. She completed general surgery residency and a cardiovascular research fellowship at the Medical College of Virginia, followed by a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. She joined Johns Hopkins in 2016 after 15 years on the faculty at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
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