Cristen J. Willer, Ph.D.
In four years, Cristen J. Willer, Ph.D., has made significant contributions to the Medical School community through her efforts to characterize the genetic basis of cardiovascular disease and related traits in human populations. Using the latest statistical tools, she is demonstrating how genetics can be used to understand the biology of complex diseases.
Willer came to the Medical School in 2011 through the highly competitive Biological Sciences Scholars Program. Her research has focused on using genome-wide association studies and innovative genetic methods to identify rare and common variants for cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular disease-associated genes, including those related to blood lipid levels and myocardial infarction. She is known for leading large networks of scientists, collaborating with hundreds worldwide to harness the power of many individual studies into one much stronger one.
Willer received the 2015 Basic Science Research Award on Nov. 4 at the annual Faculty and Staff Awards Dinner