Dirk Blom

Dirk Blom

Associate Professor Dirk Blom (MBChB, MMed, FCP (SA), PhD) is the Head of Division of Lipidology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town and heads the Lipid Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital.

Dr Blom’s personal research interests include genetic disorders of lipoprotein metabolism with a particular emphasis on dysbetalipoproteinaemia and familial hypercholesterolaemia which is particularly common in South Africa. His unit has participated or is participating in multiple trials of novel agents for the management of heterozygous and homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia, familial chylomicronaemia and atherogenic dyslipidaemia. Other interests include familial chylomicronaemia syndrome, lipodystrophy, PPARgamma mutations, dyslipidaemia in ART rational use of lipid-lowering therapy in resource-constrained settings.

Dr Blom is also active in medical education and is a member of the Council of the College of Physicians of South Africa after having previously served as the secretary of the College. He regularly participates in specialist exams.

Dr Blom is a member of multiple international societies and currently serves on the executive committee of the Lipid and Atherosclerosis Society of Southern Africa. He is the president-elect of the International Atherosclerosis Society. He has published in multiple peer-reviewed journals including The Lancet, the New England Journal of Medicine, Circulation, Journal of Clinical Lipidology, Current Opinion in Lipidology and the Journal of Lipid Research. He has also contributed to the development of the South African Dyslipidaemia and Diabetes treatment guidelines.