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August 2001
Volume 65 |
Number 8
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| David C. Warltier,
M.D., Ph.D., to Receive 2001 Excellence in Research Award |
John P. Kampine, M.D.
The 2001 recipient of the ASA Excellence in Research Award is
David C. Warltier, M.D., Ph.D.
| Dr. Warltier is Professor of Anesthesiology,
Pharmacology and Medicine (Cardiology) at the Medical College
of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For more than 20 years,
he has been making novel and important contributions in both
clinical and basic sciences, focusing largely on the physiology
and pharmacology of the coronary circulation and alterations
in ventricular function in ischemic heart disease. His earliest
investigations helped to dispel the idea that isoflurane caused
significant coronary steal and was therefore contraindicated
in patients with coronary artery disease. |
David C. Warltier, M.D., Ph.D. |
His investigations of coronary angiogenesis and genetic control
of angiogenic factors have resulted in recognition from far beyond
the specialty of anesthesiology. His work on ischemic preconditioning
and the ability of potent volatile anesthetics to provide protection
from coronary ischemia through activation of K+atp channels has
resulted in a new understanding of the interaction of anesthetics
and ischemic myocardium at the cellular level.
Dr. Warltier received his B.S. with honors in biology and chemistry
from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin in 1969. (Twenty-two
years later, Carroll College awarded him an honorary D.Sc. degree
for his achievements in the biological sciences.) In 1971, he
entered the graduate program in pharmacology at the Medical College
of Wisconsin. He completed his Ph.D. in 1976, and then completed
American Heart Association- and National Science Foundation-sponsored
postdoctoral fellowships. He received his first National Institutes
of Health (NIH)-funded grant in 1979, but at almost the same time,
he then became convinced that a medical degree was important to
the continuation of his career. Hence, he completed his M.D. degree
at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1982, earning election
to Alpha Omega Alpha (and continuing his NIH funding at the same
time!). Following graduation, he was immediately promoted to Associate
Professor of Pharmacology and Internal Medicine and, within a
year, was Director of the Cardiovascular Research Training Grant
in Cardiology (1983-89).
Three years after receiving his M.D., Dr. Warltier decided that
residency training was needed and entered the anesthesiology residency
training program (1985-88). During his training, he continued
to develop a successful and productive research laboratory. Two
years after completing his residency, he was promoted to Professor
of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Medicine and was appointed
Vice-Chair for Research in the Anesthesiology Department at the
Medical College of Wisconsin. In 1995, he was appointed as Adjunct
Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Marquette University, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin, in recognition of his work with Marquette’s bioengineering
students —research that has contributed to the Ph.D. research
thesis requirements for a number of bioengineering graduate students.
In 2000, he was appointed Director of the Medical Scientist Training
Program (the M.D., Ph.D. program) at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Dr. Warltier’s contributions to the specialty of anesthesiology
are numerous. He has been a member of the editorial board of Anesthesiology
for the last six years, after three years on the Associate Board.
He also serves as an editor for Cardiovascular Drug Reviews and
The American Journal of Physiology — Heart and Circulatory
Physiology and has been an editorial consultant and reviewer for
16 journals. He is editor of the book Ventricular Function (Williams
& Wilkins, Baltimore, 1995). Dr. Warltier is a member of many
medical and scientific organizations and societies and has been
a visiting professor at many academic programs in the United States
as well as other countries. He has published more than 275 original
articles, book chapters and reviews and has held numerous NIH,
Veterans Administration and pharmaceutical grants. He currently
is the principal investigator of an NIH ROl, in its 15th year
of funding. The Anesthesiology Research Training Grant has been
funded for 16 years.
Other than his work, David has three important loves: his family,
his golden retriever, Chili, and pre-Columbian art (of which he
has an impressive collection). David is a loving husband to his
wife, Lynn, and father to four children, Candice, Charles, Kristin
and Karin. His extended professional family consists of approximately
40 fellows and students who have worked in his laboratory. Countless
other medical students, graduate students, residents and fellows
have received a significant part of their education and training
from him in the classroom and in the operating room. He also epitomizes
the clinician/investigator: when he is not in the laboratory,
classroom or lecture hall, he can usually be found providing anesthesia
care for patients undergoing cardiac and major vascular surgery.
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John P. Kampine,
M.D., Ph.D., is Professor and Chair, Department of Anesthesiology,
and Professor of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
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