Lawrence J. Appel, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, a professor of medicine, epidemiology, international health and nursing at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, will receive the 2026 Research Achievement Award from the American Heart Association at its Scientific Sessions 2026. The meeting, a premier global exchange of cardiovascular science, will be held Nov. 6-9, 2026, in Chicago, with the award presented during the Presidential Session on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026.
Dr. Appel is internationally recognized for research that has transformed the prevention and treatment of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic conditions. His work includes controlled feeding studies, lifestyle intervention trials, chronic kidney disease research and global initiatives to improve hypertension control. Through these efforts, he has helped establish practical, evidence-based approaches that allow people to reduce cardiovascular risk through healthier dietary patterns, lower sodium intake, weight management and other lifestyle changes.
“Dr. Appel’s rigorous research has reinforced the direct connection between a healthy diet and high blood pressure, as well as other cardiovascular conditions,” said Manesh R. Patel, M.D., FAHA, the American Heart Association's 2026-2027 volunteer president. “His work has translated complex nutrition science into clear, actionable strategies that have improved care and helped millions of people take meaningful steps to prevent and manage high blood pressure.”
Among Dr. Appel’s most influential contributions is his leadership in the landmark Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial. Published in 1997, the DASH trial demonstrated that a diet high in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products and lower in saturated fat could substantially reduce blood pressure. The study helped establish the DASH eating plan as a foundational approach to preventing and treating high blood pressure, and it has since been incorporated into cardiovascular prevention recommendations globally. Dr. Appel was also an investigator in the DASH-Sodium trial, which showed that reducing sodium intake lowered blood pressure and that combining sodium reduction with the DASH dietary pattern produced the greatest benefit.
The research continues to shape heart-healthy nutrition guidance. In a 2023 American Heart Association scientific statement evaluating 10 popular dietary patterns, the DASH-style eating pattern received a perfect score for its alignment with the Association’s guidance for heart-healthy eating. Dr. Appel’s subsequent OmniHeart trial extended the DASH work, finding that partially replacing dietary carbohydrate with protein or unsaturated fat could further lower blood pressure and improve certain cholesterol measures. More recently, he helped lead the DASH4D randomized clinical trial, which evaluated a DASH-style eating pattern tailored for adults with Type 2 diabetes and found that combining the DASH4D dietary pattern with reduced sodium produced a clinically meaningful reduction in blood pressure.
Beyond dietary studies, Dr. Appel has led major behavioral intervention trials such as PREMIER, Weight Loss Maintenance, and POWER, which tested strategies to help people make and sustain lifestyle changes in healthcare and community settings. His kidney research includes contributions to the African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension and the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort, advancing understanding of blood pressure targets, genetic risk and disparities in kidney disease progression.
“I am incredibly honored to receive the American Heart Association’s 2026 Research Achievement Award,” said Dr. Appel. “Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working with exceptional participants, investigators, staff and trainees who shared a commitment to improving the health of patients and whole communities.”
A longtime Heart Association volunteer, Dr. Appel has been a member of the Council on Epidemiology and Prevention since 1989 and the Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health since 2000. He has authored or co-authored more than 700 scientific publications and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2012. Additional multimedia is available on the release link. For more information, visit heart.org and stroke.org.
