The American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association's Distinguished Scientists is a prominent group of scientists and clinicians whose work has importantly advanced our understanding of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. This award was created in 2003 to recognize AHA/ASA members for significant, original and sustained scientific contributions that have advanced the association's mission "Building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke." Recipients of this prestigious award are honored during the Opening Session at AHA Scientific Sessions.

2012 AHA Distinguished Scientists Awardees are:

	Donald M. Bers, PhD, FAHA Distinguished Professor and Chair Department of Pharmacology University of California, Davis Davis, Calif.		Gerry Fowkes, PhD, FRCPE, FFPH, FAHA Emeritus Professor of Epidemiology Center for Population Health Sciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh ENGLAND
	Charles B. Higgins, MD, FAHA, FACC Distinguished Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging Department of Radiology UCSF Medical Center San Francisco, Calif.		Sharon-Lise Normand, BSc, MSc, PhD, FAHA, FACC Professor of Health Care Policy, Professor of Biostatistics Department of Health Care Policy Harvard Medical School Boston, Mass.
	Dan M. Roden, MDCM,  FAHA Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Personalized Medicine Department of Medicine and Pharmacology Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Nashville, Tenn.		Warren M. Zapol, MD, FAHA Reginald Jenney Professor of Anaesthesia (Harvard) Director of the Anesthesia Center for Critical Care Research (MGH) Department Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, Mass.