Masters Medicine Conference tackles obesity and genetic heart disease

The Masters of Medicine Conference, the Caribbean’s leading multidisciplinary medical forum, opens today and runs through Monday, January 19. It will bring together physicians, scientists, educators and health-system leaders from across the globe for three days of scientific exchange and collaboration.

Co-hosted by the Heart Institute of the Caribbean (HIC) and Yale Cardiovascular Medicine, the event reflects a long-standing partnership dedicated to advancing clinical excellence, cardiovascular research and health equity, particularly in regions facing disproportionate disease burdens.

The 2026 theme, ‘Bridging the Divide: Tackling Obesity and Genetic Heart Disease in the Era of Preventive Cardiology’, highlights two pressing challenges in global cardiovascular health. With obesity rates climbing worldwide and inherited conditions often underdiagnosed, organisers stress the urgency of early detection and preventive strategies.

“The rising burden of obesity and inherited cardiovascular disease demands a shift toward earlier identification and prevention,” said Professor Ernest Madu, chairman and founder of HIC and conference co-chair.

“This conference focuses on bridging gaps between science and practice, genetics and population health, and innovation and access particularly in regions that bear a disproportionate disease burden.”

Professor Edward Miller, director of the Cardiology Fellowship Programme at Yale University School of Medicine and co-chair, emphasised the need to translate research into real-world impact.

“Preventive cardiology sits at the intersection of discovery, implementation, and equity. Our collaboration with HIC allows academic research to be translated into practical strategies that improve outcomes well beyond traditional academic centres,” he said.

Keynote speakers include Professor Jagat Narula, president of the World Heart Federation; Professor Mark Anderson, dean of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine; and Professor Panithaya Chareonthaitawee, president of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. Their presentations will explore advances in preventive cardiology, genetic heart disease, translational research and global health systems.

The scientific programme, hosted at the AC Hotel Kingston, will feature plenary lectures, specialist symposia and poster sessions showcasing original research from collaborations between Yale University and HIC.