Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, N.J.

ABSTRACT
Atherosclerosis, a disease of the large arteries, is the primary cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke. It is the underlying cause of about 50% of all deaths in westernized societies. Despite advances in our understanding of CVD, the established risk factors such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, age, cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, obesity, family history and physical inactivity do not fully account for the occurrence of CVD. In fact, half of all heart attacks occur in persons in whom plasma lipid levels are normal, while high blood cholesterol accounts only for 18% of fatal strokes and 56% of fatal heart attacks globally. Thus, there is a need for fundamental research and new insights into the complex pathobiological mechanisms of CVD to identify new risk factors. Clarifying the role of a specific a risk factor in disease is critical to guiding proper treatments. Numerous clinical studies have established that the amino acid homocysteine is an independent risk factor for CVD, and the preponderance of evidence shows that it is toxic at even modestly elevated levels. Low levels of homocysteine are indicators of a good physical and mental health, while elevated levels are associated with disease. This lecture will describe the evidence linking homocysteine to heart and brain diseases and will discuss molecular mechanisms underlying its role in disease. Genetic, dietary and behavioral determinants of homocysteine levels will also be discussed.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Hieronim Jakubowski is an Adjunct Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at New Jersey Medical School, Newark, N.J.; a Professor at the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań and a Professor at the Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland. Dr. Jakubowski received a M.Sc. in Physical Chemistry from the Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the Agricultural University, Poznań, and a D.Sc. degree in Biochemistry from the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Warsaw. He has made important contributions in the area of molecular biology and biochemistry, focusing on the fidelity of amino acid selection and error-correcting mechanisms in protein biosynthesis, molecular mechanisms of homocysteine incorporation into protein, and their role in human cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Jakubowski has served on the National Institute of Health, American Cancer Society, and American Heart Association study sections in the U.S. and on the National Science Center study section in Poland. He serves on Editorial Boards of several scientific journals. Dr. Jakubowski is an author of over 150 publications in peer reviewed scientific journals and has 3 issued patents and other patent applications pending.