Dr. Michael J. Ackerman Appreciation Fund!

Say THANKS to Dr. Ackerman!
Support the life-saving services of the SADS Foundation!

We will be announcing this SURPRISE on October 27th at the 11th Annual International SADS Foundation Conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Join us in showing Dr. Ackerman our heartfelt gratitude for his distinguished services for families with SADS conditions. Your name will be listed as a donor for the conference presentation.

This special fund has been established to celebrate the more than 10 years that Dr. Ackerman has served as the President of the Board of Trustees for the SADS Foundation as well as the lifetime accomplishments of Dr. Ackerman and his limitless care for our SADS families.

From receiving the 25th Young Investigator Award - Society for Pediatric Research in 2007 to receiving the Distinguished Pediatric Investigator Award - Mayo Clinic and the Distinguished Scientist Award - Heart Rhythm Society in 2018, Dr. Ackerman has significantly advanced research within SADS conditions and improved the care of families with SADS conditions.

Contact Jan at 801-272-3023 or jan@sads.org for further details.

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Just some of Dr. Ackerman’s Achievements

Summary

Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D., studies genomics and genotype-phenotype relationships in heritable cardiovascular diseases predisposing to sudden death. In the Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory, Dr. Ackerman and his colleagues have research interests that include genomics, mutational analysis and novel gene discovery related to the cardiac channelopathies such as long QT syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and sudden unexplained death, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and inherited sarcomere diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Significance to Patient Care

Over the past 12 years, the Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory has discovered more than 12 sudden-death-predisposing, channelopathy/cardiomyopathy-susceptibility genes. These genes are now included in commercially available genetic tests for long QT syndrome, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and/or postmortem sudden death test panels.

Currently, Dr. Ackerman's program is searching to discover the genetic causes for the rest of these syndromes that are currently gene test negative. In addition, they have developed novel markers for risk stratification and novel treatment strategies, including videoscopic left cardiac sympathethic denervation surgery, for these diseases.

Collectively, the program is improving the diagnostic (discovering new disease genes), prognostic (identifying who is at greatest risk) and therapeutic approaches to these diseases. In essence, the research is enabling true personalized and individualized medicine for patients and families with genetic heart rhythm and genetic heart muscle diseases.

Awards and Honors

2018
•    Distinguished Pediatric Investigator Award - Mayo Clinic
•    Distinguished Scientist Award - Heart Rhythm Society

2015
•    Mayo Clinic Distinguished Clinician Award - Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

2013
•    Dean's Recognition Award - Mayo Clinic College of Medicine

2012
•    Center for Individualized Medicine Award - Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine

2011
•    Windland Smith Rice Cardiovascular Genomics Research Professor - Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Education Administration
•    Department of Medicine Outstanding Investigator Award - Mayo Clinic Department of Internal Medicine

2010
•    Induction - American Society of Clinical Investigation

2009
•    Teacher of the Year Award - Mayo Medical School, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Department of Education Administration

2008
•    Luther Distinguished Service Award - Luther College

2007
•    25th Young Investigator Award - Society for Pediatric Research