George S. Abela
George S. Abela | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Clinician-scientist, cardiologist, professor |
| Known for | Research on atherosclerosis, cholesterol crystals, cardiovascular disease |
Dr. George S. Abela is a clinician-scientist serving as Professor of Medicine and the Cardiology Division Chief at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine.
Education
Dr. Abela earned a master's degree specializing in cardiovascular pharmacology, holds an M.D. from the American University of Beirut, and completed an MBA at Michigan State University. His postgraduate training includes residency and internship at Emory University and a cardiology fellowship at the University of Florida. He has been an associate professor at Harvard Medical School where he led Interventional Research and the Cardiovascular Photobiology Laboratory at Deaconess Hospital. Additionally, he co-directed Harvard's Institute for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease. At Michigan State University, his positions have included Laboratory Director, Cardiology Chief, Professor of Medicine, and Cardiovascular Fellowship Program Director.
Research & career
Dr. Abela’s investigations concentrate on atherosclerosis, platelet function, vascular trauma, plaque destabilization, imaging techniques for atherosclerotic plaques, and thrombosis mechanisms. His laboratory demonstrated how cholesterol crystals contribute to plaque rupture and subsequent thrombosis, events that precipitate heart attacks and strokes. They revealed that cholesterol’s transformation into solid crystals leads to volume expansion that causes arterial wall fissures; this insight emerged after refining tissue processing methods by excluding alcohol during microscopy preparation. His research portfolio also encompasses laser therapies for cardiovascular disease and uncommon complications arising from balloon angioplasty (CBA).
Awards
In 1998, Dr. Abela was honored with the Caroline and William Mark Memorial Award by the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. His accolades further include the Ellet Drake Lectureship Award, Mark B. Award, Distinguished Research Mentor Award, and Outstanding Clinician Award. He holds fellowships with the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and Royal Society of Medicine.
Bibliography
- George S. Abela. Proceedings of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Cardiovascular Interventions II. Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.
- George S. Abela. "Peripheral Vascular Disease: Basic Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches". Amazon.
- George S. Abela. “Lasers in Cardiovascular Medicine and Surgery: Fundamentals and Techniques”. Martinus Nijhoff (Kluwer), Boston, 1990.
- George S. Abela. "Diagnostic and Therapeutic Cardiovascular Interventions IV". Society of Photo-Optical Publishers.
- George S. Abela. "Myocardial Revascularization: Novel Percutaneous Approaches". Wiley Liss Publishers.
- Kusai Aziz and George S. Abela. "Diagnostic Imaging of Coronary Artery Disease". Lippincott Williams and Wilkins publishers.
Patents
Significant patents granted encompass:
- Apparatus and technique for laser treatment (1991)
- Angioscopic system paired with a dimensional measurement technique (1991)
- Methods and catheters for cardiac ablation (1996)
- Optical fiber catheter along with its method of use (1997)
- Mapping catheter and associated procedural method (1997)
- Techniques for anchoring cardiac catheters (1998)
Publications
- George S. Abela and colleagues, "Association Between Atherosclerosis and Specific Solid Tumors," Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2019.
- George S. Abela and co-authors, "Prevalence of Cholesterol Crystals in Coronary Artery Aspirates During Acute Myocardial Infarction and Their Link to Inflammation and Heart Muscle Damage," American Journal of Cardiology, 2017.
- George S. Abela et al., "Impact of Cholesterol Crystals on Arterial Plaques and Intima in Patients Experiencing Acute Coronary and Cerebrovascular Events," American Journal of Cardiology, 2009.
- George S. Abela and team, "Influence of Ethanol on Cholesterol Crystals During Sample Preparation for Scanning Electron Microscopy," Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2012.
- George S. Abela et al., "Statins' Role in Modulating Cholesterol Crystallization and Stabilizing Atherosclerotic Plaques," American Journal of Cardiology, 2011.
- George S. Abela, Kusai Aziz, "Cholesterol Crystals Cause Rupture of Biological Membranes and Human Plaques in Acute Cardiovascular Events: New Perspectives on Plaque Rupture via Scanning Electron Microscopy," Scanning, 2006.