Laurence Sperling

Dr. Laurence S. Sperling is a highly respected cardiologist with a long history of work in heart disease prevention. He currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer at the Family Heart Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people with inherited cholesterol disorders by improving awareness, research, and treatment options. He founded and led Emory’s Heart Disease Prevention Center for over two decades and now holds a professorship in Preventive Cardiology at Emory University, where he also teaches Global Health.

Dr. Sperling was the Executive Director of the national Million Hearts Initiative, a collaboration to prevent heart attacks and strokes. He has held leadership roles, such as President of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology, and contributed to major cholesterol management guidelines. He is also involved in cardiovascular health initiatives, especially for diabetes patients, and he directs Georgia’s only LDL apheresis program -- a treatment for certain cholesterol-related conditions.

Over his career, Dr. Sperling has received numerous awards for his work in heart disease prevention, teaching, and public health, including the Pioneer in Prevention Award and the CDC Shepard Award. He has published more than 450 research papers and book chapters and has presented his work worldwide.