He was Director of the Coronary Care Unit at Barnes Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis from 1972-1982. He served as Chief of Cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas from 1982-2004, followed by President of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada from 2004-2014.
Research
His research is noted for developing the first quantitative assay for MBCK, which was the standard for diagnosing heart attacks in patients for more than three decades. Most of his research career was devoted to genetics and molecular biology of cardiovascular disorders which led him to several important discoveries, including the first gene for atrial fibrillation in 1997, the first gene for Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome and many others. In 2007, he discovered the first gene for heart attacks and since as part of an International Consortium has identified over 100 genetic factors that cause an elevated risk for heart disease in addition to the already commonly associated environmental factors such as cholesterol and smoking which paves the way for predictive genetic testing for heart disease in men and women at any age which he is currently developing.
Texas Vampires Controversy
In 1998, Robert Roberts led a group of researchers from Baylor College of Medicine to conduct a study on arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia among Grand Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada populations. The group arrived at Grand Falls to collect blood samples from community members to test for biomarkers indicating genetic predispositions of this condition. The study was extremely problematic due to procedures used by Roberts to procure the samples causing significant concerns about the informed consent process of the study. Evidence from an investigation initiated by Baylor's Institutional Review Board found that the consent process was largely skipped or done through medical intimidation by Roberts and his team. Participants also were not given results of the study despite many feeling that they might have died had they not taken part. Due to the actions of Roberts' research team, and the public outcry which denounced the group as the Texas Vampires, the Newfoundland's Health Research Ethics Authority was established as a review board "to evaluate the ethics of all genetic studies proposed for the province". The board is the arbiter of which study groups are permitted to collect genetic materials from Newfoundlanders, among other considerations in medical ethics. Following an internal investigation of this incident by Baylor's Institutional Review Board, Robert Roberts was among three Baylor physicians suspended from clinical research for 5 years. The study also initiated a special subcommittee investigation of procedural and ethical aspects of the study led by Baylor's IRB and Ottawa Heart Institute which found protocol concerns "of a serious nature".
Awards and honours
He has authored over 900 publications in leading scientific journals and received several awards in recognition of his scientific contributions including the Distinguished Scientist Award from the American College of Cardiology, McLaughlin Medal from the Royal Society of Canada, Award of Meritorious Achievement from AHA, Best of What’s New by Popular Science, and was elected to Fellow of the Academy of Science of the Royal Society of Canada. He served as Associate Editor of Hurst's The Heart for nearly 30 years while also being a member of numerous review boards for several journals and currently remains Editor-in-Chief of Current Opinion in Cardiology, Section Editor of Genomics for JACC and Associate Editor for JACC:BTS
