In 1963, Kåre Ingmar Berg was to be found on the pages of Journal of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology with his article “A new serum type in man – the Lp system”. This work introduced lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), which he had only just discovered. Today Lp(a) is acknowledged as an inherited cardiovascular disease risk factor and a focal point for novel therapeutic interventions.

Norwegian Berg became Norway’s first professor in medical genetics at the University of Oslo in 1967. Berg’s groundbreaking research went beyond the discovery of Lp(a), extending to approximately 650 scientific works, including books and a lexicon. His diverse contributions encompassed genetics and complex diseases, notably myocardial infarction.

Beyond his research, Berg played vital roles internationally, advising on genetic diseases and medical ethics at the World Health Organization (WHO) from 1973 and heading the WHO Collaborating Centre for Community Control of Hereditary Diseases from 1986. He was actively involved in numerous international committees, including the permanent committee for International Congresses in Medical Genetics and the European Council’s ethic committees.

Recognized for his contributions, Berg received the Jean Juilliard Prize in 1964 and the Anders Jahre Award in 1970 for his work clarifying certain inherited factors in humans.

As the PMI Journal celebrates its 100th year, Berg’s groundbreaking research on Lp(a) reflects the journal’s commitment to scientific discovery, bridging a century of impactful research. Here’s to another hundred years of transformative contributions!