Donald M. Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Lloyd-Jones attended Swarthmore College for his BA (Major in History), Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons for his MD, and Harvard School of Public Health for his Master of Science (Epidemiology). He was a resident, chief resident and cardiology fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital, and junior faculty at Harvard Medical School. In 2004, he moved to Northwestern and in 2009, he became Chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine. From 2012-2020, he was Senior Associate Dean for Clinical and Translational Research and Director of the NUCATS Institute. In 2021-22, he served as President of the American Heart Association Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ research interests include the study of the mechanisms and life course of cardiovascular health and healthy aging, and cardiovascular disease epidemiology, risk estimation and prevention. Other areas of interest include the use of novel biomarkers and imaging of subclinical atherosclerosis to improve prevention, and the epidemiology and outcomes of hypertension and dyslipidemia. His clinical and teaching interests lie in general cardiology, with a focus on prevention. He also has been a national leader in public health and clinical approaches to promoting cardiovascular health and preventing cardiovascular diseases across the life course. He served as co-chair of the Risk Assessment Guidelines and a member of the Cholesterol Treatment Guidelines Panel for the 2013 ACC/AHA Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction; and was the lead member for risk assessment on the 2018 Cholesterol Guidelines Panel and the 2019 Primary Prevention Guidelines Panel. He has authored over 750 peer-reviewed scientific publications and has been a PI or co-investigator on more than 120 grants (the vast majority from NIH) Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones is immediate-past president of the American Heart Association (AHA) for 2022-23. Among the world’s most highly regarded experts in cardiovascular disease prevention and epidemiology, his volunteer leadership since 1997 has had a profound impact on the Association’s efforts to improve patient outcomes and create healthier communities across the nation. At Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Dr. Lloyd-Jones is Chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine and the Eileen M. Foell Professor of Heart Research and Professor of Preventive Medicine, Medicine, and Pediatrics. For 2022-23, Dr. Lloyd-Jones will serve as co-chair of the Association’s Governance Committee, as well as chairperson of the Manuscript Oversight Committee and Awards Subcommittee. He is a past chairperson of the Association’s Science Advisory & Coordinating Committee and Committee on Scientific Sessions Program and has provided invaluable guidance as a Science Advisor to the AHA’s CEO Roundtable. Dr. Lloyd-Jones is also a past president of the Association’s Midwest Region and the Workplace Health Steering Committee from 2015-17. Dr. Lloyd-Jones is the chair of preventive medicine and Eileen M. Foell Professor of Heart Research and professor of preventive medicine, medicine and pediatrics at Northwestern University. He previously served as senior associate dean for clinical and translational research and PI/director of the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences (NUCATS) Institute from 2012-20. Dr. Lloyd-Jones also served as the national president of the American Heart Association in 2021-22. He received his BA from Swarthmore College, his MD from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and a master of science in epidemiology from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. He completed a residency in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and served as chief medical resident. After a cardiology fellowship at MGH, he joined the staff as an attending cardiologist, and was an instructor and then assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and MGH. He joined the Framingham Heart Study as a research fellow in 1997 and was a research associate from 1999-2004. In 2004, he moved to Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine and became chair of preventive medicine in 2009. “I am truly excited to return to the Framingham Study and BU, where I began my research career in earnest,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones said. “I am mindful of the incredible legacy of past leaders, who are all giants in our field, like Drs. Dawber, Kannel, Castelli, Wolf and Ramachandran. I am also excited to partner with Drs. Dan Levy, Joanne Murabito, George O’Connor and Emelia Benjamin, who have been ongoing leaders of the Framingham studies for decades. We have an incredible team, and remarkable opportunities to take Framingham and BU to new heights.” “Over decades, the Framingham Heart Study has produced great learnings that further our understanding of cardiovascular disease in America. This transition to new leadership retains the depth of familiarity with the study while advancing the latest science and innovations in epidemiology. We have great confidence in Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ ability to lead the Framingham Heart Study into a new era of scientific excellence,” said David C. Goff, MD, PhD, director of the division of cardiovascular sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ research interests include the study of the mechanisms and life course of cardiovascular health and healthy aging, and cardiovascular disease epidemiology, risk estimation and prevention. Other areas of interest include the use of novel biomarkers and imaging of subclinical atherosclerosis to improve prevention, and the epidemiology and outcomes of hypertension and dyslipidemia. His clinical and teaching interests lie in general cardiology, with a focus on prevention. He also has been a national leader in public health and clinical approaches to promoting cardiovascular health and preventing cardiovascular diseases across the life course. He served as co-chair of the Risk Assessment Guidelines and a member of the Cholesterol Treatment Guidelines Panel for the 2013 ACC/AHA Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction; and was the lead member for risk assessment on the 2018 Cholesterol Guidelines Panel and the 2019 Primary Prevention Guidelines Panel. He has authored over 750 peer-reviewed scientific publications and has been a PI or co-investigator on more than 120 grants (the vast majority from NIH). Dr. Lloyd-Jones earned his BA from Swarthmore College, his MD from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and a Master of Science degree in Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health. He did his residency and served as Chief Resident in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. After his cardiology fellowship at MGH, he was Instructor and then Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He moved to Northwestern University in 2004, and was appointed Chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine in 2009. He is the Eileen M. Foell Professor of Preventive Medicine and of Medicine. In 2012, he became director of the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences (NUCATS) Institute and PI of its CTSA award. Dr. Lloyd-Jones’ research interests lie in cardiovascular disease epidemiology, risk estimation, and prevention. A main focus of his NHLBI-funded research has been investigation of the lifetime risks for cardiovascular diseases. He was the first to describe the lifetime risks for many forms of CVD, and factors which modify those risks. Other areas of interest include CVD risk estimation using novel biomarkers, imaging of subclinical atherosclerosis, hypertension, dyslipidemia and prevention. His work in cardiovascular epidemiology and prevention has influenced numerous national and international guidelines in the prevention and treatment of CVD. He chaired the committee and authored the monograph that defined and set the American Heart Association’s Strategic Impact Goals for 2010-2020, including a bold new focus on cardiovascular health promotion. He has also chaired and co-authored numerous ACC/AHA clinical practice guidelines. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. Annually since 2014, he has been named a Highly Cited Researcher (top 1% of cited authors) in the field of Clinical Medicine by Clarivate Analytics (Thomson Reuters). In 2025, he became the Alexander Graham Bell Professor, Director of the Framingham Center for Population and Prevention Research, PI of the Framingham Studies, and Chief of the Section of Preventive Medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.