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Markwald wins governor's science excellence award  Roger Markwald, Ph.D., has been awarded the 2002 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Science. He was recognized during a special ceremony at the South Carolina Academy of Science meeting on April 12 in Aiken. Markwald is considered around the world by those in the field to be the major leader in understanding the embryonic development of the heart. Each year the Governor’s Office, the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and the South Carolina Academy of Science present two awards for excellence in science, one for scientific research and the other for scientific awareness.  Markwald’s award was in the category of scientific research. Previous MUSC winners of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Science are Harry S. Margolius, M.D, Ph.D., Makio Ogawa, M.D., Ph.D., Maria G. Buse,  M.D., and George E. Tempel, Ph.D.  Since 1992 Markwald has served as professor and chairman of the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy and director of the Cardiovascular Developmental Biology Program at MUSC.  Markwald has built and maintained a world-class research program at the Medical University. He has received total research support in the amount of $41 million and is a recipient of a National Institutes of  Health (NIH) MERIT award, the highest distinction one can receive for research funding from NIH.  Among his research endeavors is a collaborative project between MUSC and USC to develop a multi-disciplinary center to promote understanding of the cellular and molecular events leading to cardiovascular disease. By combining strengths and sharing resources, the two South Carolina  institutions will work together on research projects which will ultimately improve the understanding and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of illness and death in the U.S., and takes a disproportionate toll on South Carolinians. The Governor’s Award for Excellence in Scientific Research proclamation received at Friday’s ceremony recognizes Markwald for placing “South Carolina ‘on the map’ of cardiovascular development research.” Editor-in-chief of Anatomical Record, Markwald is a co-author of Developmental Mechanisms of Heart Disease and Living Morphogenesis of the Heart.  He is a past president of the American Association of Anatomists and the Association of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Neuroanatomy Chairmen.