EXHIBIT 31.1

                         CERTIFICATIONS


I, Russell M. Medford, certify that:

      1.   I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q  of
AtheroGenics, Inc.;

      2.  Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any
untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a  material
fact  necessary  to make the statements made,  in  light  of  the
circumstances  under  which  such  statements  were   made,   not
misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

      3.    Based on my knowledge, the financial statements,  and
other  financial  information included  in  this  report,  fairly
present in all material respects the financial condition, results
of  operations and cash flows of the registrant as of,  and  for,
the periods presented in this report;

      4.   The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are
responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure  controls
and  procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules  13a-15(e)  and
15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

         (a)   Designed such disclosure controls and  procedures,
   or  caused  such  disclosure controls  and  procedures  to  be
   designed  under  our  supervision,  to  ensure  that  material
   information   relating  to  the  registrant,   including   its
   consolidated  subsidiaries, is made  known  to  us  by  others
   within  those  entities, particularly  during  the  period  in
   which this report is being prepared;

         (b)  [Reserved]

         (c)  Evaluated   the   effectiveness of the registrant's
   disclosure  controls  and procedures  and  presented  in  this
   report   our  conclusions  about  the  effectiveness  of   the
   disclosure  controls and procedures, as  of  the  end  of  the
   period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

          (d)   Disclosed  in  this  report  any  change  in  the
   registrant's  internal control over financial  reporting  that
   occurred  during the registrant's most recent  fiscal  quarter
   (the  registrant's fourth fiscal quarter in  the  case  of  an
   annual  report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably
   likely   to  materially  affect,  the  registrant's   internal
   control over financial reporting; and

     5.   The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have
disclosed,  based  on  our  most recent  evaluation  of  internal
control  over  financial reporting, to the registrant's  auditors
and  the  audit committee of the registrant's board of  directors
(or persons performing the equivalent functions):

          (a)    All   significant  deficiencies   and   material
   weaknesses  in  the  design or operation of  internal  control
   over  financial  reporting  which  are  reasonably  likely  to
   adversely affect the registrant's ability to record,  process,
   summarize and report financial information; and

         (b)   Any  fraud, whether or not material, that involves
   management or other employees who have a significant  role  in
   the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.


Date: May 10, 2004                 /s/RUSSELL M. MEDFORD
				   --------------------------
                                   Russell M. Medford
                                   President and Chief Executive
                                   Officer