Dr. Eugene Braunwald (1929-2026) authored the seminal studies at the National Institutes of Health in the 1960s that defined the diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) as a clinical entity and served as the foundation for advancements in echocardiographic diagnosis, genetic testing, and risk stratification for sudden cardiac death. His early hemodynamic studies characterized idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (IHSS), identifying the dynamic nature of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction as a diagnostic hallmark. His pioneering work established the familial aggregation of the disease, creating the framework for the later identification of sarcomeric gene mutations. These pathophysiologic observations provided the basis for early therapeutic strategies, including the use of beta-adrenergic blockade to mitigate dynamic obstruction, and guided the development of surgical septal myectomy for refractory symptomatic obstructive HCM.

In recognition and gratitude for his important contributions, the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Medical Society was honored to work with him to establish and cultivate the Eugene Braunwald, MD Endowed Lecture in 2025.  The endowed speakership enables our society to consistently host pioneering researchers and pre-eminent thought leaders from around the world at our annual scientific sessions with the goals of sharing knowledge and improving the outcome of this treatable condition.

Donations to the endowment can be made below. If requested, donations can be made anonymously. If not requested, public recognition will be made on the HCM Society website and at the annual conference.

The 2026 Eugene Braunwald, MD, Lectureship has been awarded to Scott Solomon, the Edward D. Frohlich Distinguished Chair, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He received his A.B. from Williams College and his M.D. from Harvard Medical School. 

Dr. Solomon’s research interests have focused on changes in ventricular structure and function following myocardial injury, modifiers of risk and influences of outcome in patients following myocardial infarction and with chronic heart failure, cardiovascular safety of non-cardiovascular therapies, factors that influence the transition from hypertension to heart failure, and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.  He has pioneered the use of cardiac imaging in cardiovascular drug and device development and use of imaging in clinical trials. He is an expert in cardiovascular safety and outcomes research and led the NIH-sponsored Celecoxib Cross-trials Safety Study which directly informed regulatory agencies about the safety of widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents.

He and his research group have played a leading role in the development of several heart failure therapeutics, through phase 2 and phase 3 international clinical trials in heart failure, hypertension and myocardial infarction, including the SAVE, HEART, VALIANT, CHARM, PEACE, OVERTURE, MADIT-CRT, ALOFT, ALLAY, TREAT, RED-HF, ALTITUDE, FREEDOM, TOPCAT, ASTRONAUT, ATMOSPHERE, COSMIC, APOLLO, PARADIGM, PARAGON, DAPA-HF, EXPLORER-HCM, GALACTIC-HF  trials. He directs the Cardiac Imaging Core Laboratory and the Clinical Trials Endpoints Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.  He directed the Cardiac Imaging Center for the NHLBI Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and Hispanic Community Health Study – Study of Latinos (HCHS-SOL), the two largest NIH cohort studies. He served as PI for the NHLBI funded INVESTED trial studying influenza vaccine to reduce cardiovascular events. A particular research focus has been understanding the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and outcomes in heart failure with preserved and mildly reduced ejection fraction and testing new therapies for these conditions. He led the first positive Phase II trial in HFpEF, and the PARAGON-HF, DELIVER and FINEARTS outcomes trials in heart failure with preserved and mildly reduced ejection fraction.  His work with sacubitril/valsartan in this population led to the first FDA indication for a therapy for heart failure with ejection fraction > 40%. He serves as PI for a domain of the NHLBI ACTIV4a acute COVID trial.

Dr. Solomon leads a research group consisting of 8 faculty members, 8 research fellows and 40 support staff. He currently receives, or has received, extensive research support from the NIH and multiple industry sponsors. He has directed the Harvard Medical School Cardiovascular Clerkship and the Echocardiography training program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He has authored more than 800 peer-reviewed articles, reviews and editorials, three textbooks of cardiac imaging, including Essential Echocardiography, A Companion to Braunwald’s Heart Disease (2018), and the Echocardiography sections for the 10th  and 11th edition of Braunwald’s Heart Disease and 19th and 20th edition Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. He is listed by Thomson-Reuters as one of the most highly cited scientists for the past 5 years. He has received a Doctor Honoris Causa (honorary doctorate) from Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary.  He has served as Cardiology Section Editor at UpToDate, Associate Editor at Circulation, International Associate Editor at the European Heart Journal, the European Journal of Heart Failure, and currently serves as Editor for Braunwald’s Heart Disease. 

In 2025, HCMS honored Professor Hugh Watkins as the inaugural selection for its Eugene Braunwald, MD, Endowed Lecture, November 7 in New Orleans. 

As a 501c(3) HCMS offers tax-deductibility for any donations made.