Our mission is to develop pharmacogenetically-targeted cardiovascular drugs acting through novel mechanisms of action
THE SCIENCE and THERAPEUTIC APPLICATION of GENETIC VARIATION
Genvara specializes in identifying common genetic variation that can be therapeutically targeted in cardiovascular disorders. Our basic and clinical research programs focus on human cardiac
systems in order to provide a direct path from discovery to clinical application, utilizing our decades-long experience in molecular genetics, molecular pharmacology, clinical trials and drug
development.
Dr. Michael Bristow, MD, PhD
1944-2025
We are deeply saddened to report the death of our Founder and Chief Science & Medical Officer, Michael Bristow, MD, PhD.
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Dr. Bristow's contributions to the cardiology field were monumental, and his impact on those he worked alongside was profound. His dedication to greatness through hard work and perseverance will continue to be an inspiration to all those around him. This loss will be felt far and wide, as he touched so many lives throughout his 81 years.
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Dr. Bristow received his MD and PhD in pharmacology in 1970 and 1971 from the University of Illinois Chicago MD/PhD Program, completed an NIH postdoctoral fellowship in pharmacology at the University of Illinois. He completed an NIH postdoctoral fellowship in pharmacology, followed by rigorous medical training at Stanford University completing his internal medicine residency and fellowships in both oncology and cardiology. In 1979, he joined the Cardiology faculty at Stanford, serving as a Project Leader on the Heart and Lung Transplantation Program Project Grant. In a commitment to advancing care for patients with advanced heart disease he moved to the University of Utah in 1984, where he co-founded the first multi-hospital heart transplant program in the U.S. In 1991 he was recruited to the University of Colorado in Denver as Head of the Division of Cardiology. He is the co-founder of the University of Colorado Cardiovascular Institute, a joint venture between the Boulder and Medical campuses, where he is currently a Senior Scientist and Director of the Section of Pharmacogenomics.
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He is the author of over 450 peer-reviewed publications in the fields of heart failure, cardiac transplantation, genomics, and pharmacogenomics. He has won numerous awards including the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Therapeutic Frontiers Award for developing β-blockade as a treatment for heart failure, the PhRMA Clinical Trials Exceptional Service Award for developing carvedilol as a treatment for heart failure, the Heart Failure Society of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the American College of Cardiology’s Distinguished Scientist (Translational Domain) Award, University of Illinois Distinguished Alumni Award (System 2009, College of Medicine 2025) and the JACC:Heart Failure Most Published Author Award (2025).
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Dr. Bristow has also founded or co-founded 4 biotechnology companies that were or are based on university-licensed intellectual property generated by Dr. Bristow and his collaborators.
Beyond his scientific and clinical achievements, Dr. Bristow’s legacy is deeply rooted in his devotion to mentorship. He has guided more than twenty-four fellows and junior faculty members, investing in their growth with generosity, encouragement, and steadfast advocacy. Many of his trainees now stand as leaders in their own right — a testament to the lasting impact of his guidance.
