HA Lecture: Paul Korner Awardee Lecture I Prof Michael Stowasser
| Wednesday, December 10, 2025 |
| 5:45 PM - 6:15 PM |
| Hall C Lower Section |
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Sponsored By:
Ja Davey
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Details
Michael Stowasser (MS) has 35 years clinical research experience in human hypertension (HT), and especially endocrine varieties such as primary aldosteronism (PA). Working within the Greenslopes Hospital Hypertension Unit (GHHU), he helped demonstrate that PA is 10 times more common than previously thought and to account for approximately 10% of HT, making it the commonest specifically treatable, potentially curable variety, and in the description of a new familial form (FH-II) which led to the elucidation of its genetic basis (published in Nature Genetics). The combined GHHU/Princess Alexandra Hospital HT Unit (set up by MS in 2000) has possibly the largest series (>2500) worldwide of patients with PA who have been thoroughly documented and meticulously studied, helping MS to become internationally recognized as an authority on pathogenesis/genetics, diagnostic workup and management of PA. MS served on an Endocrine Society international working group to develop the first guideline for diagnosis and management of PA in 2006 (cited >1200 times) the second in 2016 (cited >1900 times) and the third as Co-Chair from 2023-5. MS conceived, developed and validated the seated saline suppression test which has since become the favoured method for definitively confirming the diagnosis of PA. He has also made major contributions to the understanding of how various physiological and pharmacological factors affect the aldosterone/renin ratio as a screening test for PA and in optimizing approaches to adrenal venous sampling, the most reliable method of differentiating unilateral (surgically curable) from bilateral varieties. MS’s other great loves are his wife of almost 30 years, Danielle, his extended family, his dogs and his passion for playing music which helped fund his undergraduate years.
Speaker
Prof Michael Stowasser
Frazer Institute, The University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital
Hormones and Hypertension; Medicine and Music
Biography
Michael is currently Director of the Hypertension Units and of the Endocrine Hypertension Research Centre within the University of Queensland Frazer Institute at Greenslopes and Princess Alexandra Hospitals in Brisbane. He has over 30 years clinical research experience in pathogenesis and management of hypertension and especially of endocrine varieties including primary aldosteronism, renovascular hypertension, pheochromocytoma and familial hyperkalemic hypertension. Working with mentor Richard Gordon, he helped to demonstrate that primary aldosteronism is at least 10 times more common than previously thought, and is the commonest specifically treatable and potentially curable form of hypertension. Subsequent studies have involved determining genetic bases for primary aldosteronism, examining non-blood pressure dependent effects of aldosterone excess, improving methods of detection, diagnostic workup and management of primary aldosteronism, exploring the pathogenesis and genetics of other salt sensitive forms of hypertension (including familial hyperkalemic hypertension) and investigating how dietary potassium lowers blood pressure.
Chair
Markus Schlaich
Dobney Chair In Clinical Research
Royal Perth Hospital - University of Western Australia
