David Hajjar

David P Hajjar (born September 13, 1952) is an American scientist, university administrator, and professor of pathology and biochemistry. He is best known for his work in arterial cholesterol trafficking.

Biography

Hajjar received his B.A. in 1974 from American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts. He received his M.S. in biochemistry in 1977 and his Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1978, both from the University of New Hampshire. From 1978 to 1980, he completed postdoctoral training in pathology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, and from 1980 to 1981, he completed postdoctoral training in biochemistry at Rockefeller University. Since 1981, he has served on the faculty of Weill Cornell Medicine as Professor of Pathology and Biochemistry, including as the Frank Rhodes Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Biology and Genetics.

Hajjar served on the administration of Weill Cornell Medicine, including as Director of the Center for Vascular Biology, Dean of the Faculty, and Vice Provost of Medical Affairs.

Among his honors and awards are elected membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 1995, Hajjar was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science (D.Sc.), honoris causa, by American International College, and in 2014 he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (D.Litt.), honoris causa, by the University of New Hampshire.

Recently, Hajjar has focused on science diplomacy and policy as they relate to human health and disease. He served as Senior Fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, as a Jefferson Science Fellow in the Office of International Health and Biodefense at the United States Department of State, and as a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution.