2015 Wylie Scholar

Mohamed Zayed, MD, PhD, is Director of Vascular Surgery Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He leads a multi-pronged research program investigating mechanisms of arterial disease progression. His multidisciplinary background in pharmacology, molecular biology, genetics, and lipid research allows his team to focus on creative approaches to explore the underlying causes of peripheral arterial atheroprogression, aortic aneurysms, and the impact of metabolic disorders such as diabetes on arterial disease. 

Since receiving the Wylie Scholar Award, Dr. Zayed was awarded a 5-year K08 career development award, an American Surgical Association research fellowship award, and a Society for Vascular Surgery investigator award. As his translational research program matured, this gave opportunity for additional major NIH funding (7 R01 grants and multiple foundation grants). 

Dr. Zayed is also the Director of the CardioVascular Research Innovation in Surgery & Engineering (CVISE) center, which aims to synergize and foster collaboration between surgical and engineering disciplines. This multidisciplinary center has led to many biomedical innovations, multiple filed/issued U.S. patents, and several startup ventures to commercialize new biomedical diagnostics/treatments. The innovation team is in part funded by an NIH R41/R42 grant. Dr. Zayed was recently awarded the Academy of Science of St. Louis Innovator Award – which is awarded to an investigator who has exceptional potential for future accomplishments in science, engineering, and technology.

“The Wylie Fellowship was a catalyst to my research program at a critical early phase of my career as a surgeon-scientist. The fellowship immediately connected me with a network of accomplished prior fellows and scientists. This award allowed me to build the foundation for many critical activities that followed.”