PR Web
Distinguished Cardiologists and Scientists Honored With 2008 International Academy of Cardiology Award

Tue Aug 12, 3:01 AM ET

A world-renowned panel of 130 cardiologists and scientists, members of the Faculty of the International Academy of Cardiology (IAC) announced the 2008 International Academy of Cardiology Awards during the Opening Ceremony of the 14th World Congress on Heart Disease held in Toronto, ON, Canada. Recipients include: Professor Harisios Boudoulas, M.D.; Professor Robert Roberts, M.D.; Professor Philip R. Liebson, M.D.; Professor Sherif F. Nagueh, M.D.; and Professor Udho Thadani, M.D. Three faculty, Professor Martin Alpert, M.D.; Professor Naranjan S. Dhalla, PhD, M.D. (Hon) and Professor John A. Elefteriades, M.D. were also honored with the Distinguished Fellowship Award. Professor Asher Kimchi, M.D., Founder and Chairman of the IAC, said, "In the past 19 years the IAC has grown from a prestigious academy to one of the world's preeminent forum for top Cardiologists and Scientists. These Professors are the best of the best. We are proud to honor them with these well-deserved awards."

ADVERTISEMENT

Toronto, ON, Canada (PRWEB) August 12, 2008 -- Dr. Asher Kimchi, Founder and Chairman of the International Academy of Cardiology announced the winners of the 2008 IAC Awards at the 14th World Congress on Heart Disease held in Toronto. Dr. Kimchi, together with Dr. Jeffrey S. Borer, Chairman of the Scientific Executive Committee of the IAC, headed a committee of the world's top cardiologists and scientists that reviewed nominees from nearly every country in the world. In addition to the IAC awards, the committee also named three Faculty to receive the Distinguished Fellowship Award.

The International Academy of Cardiology has established these five awards in honor of the memory of distinguished colleagues who made a major contribution to Medicine and Cardiology and who were members of the faculty for previous International Academy of Cardiology meetings. As in previous years, a very prestigious Awards Committee comprised of over 130 faculty members selected the recipients. The following awards for 2008 were presented at the Opening Ceremony of the International Academy of Cardiology 14th World Congress on Heart Disease Annual Scientific Sessions:

The WALTER BLEIFELD MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Clinical Research to Professor Harisios Boudoulas, M.D., Professor of Medicine/Cardiology (Emeritus)The Ohio State University, U.S.A., currently President of the Hellenic Cardiological Society, Director Center for Clinical Research and Chairman Scientific Board Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Greece.

The ALBRECHT FLECKENSTEIN MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Basic Research to Professor Robert Roberts, M.D, President and CEO of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and Director of The Ruddy Canadian Cardiovascular Genetics Centre., Canada.

The JAN J. KELLERMANN MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention to Professor Philip R. Liebson, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine, The McMullan Eybel Chair in Clinical Cardiology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL U.S.

The HANS-PETER KRAYENBUEHL MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Research in Cardiac Function to Professor Sherif F. Nagueh, M.D, currently Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and Associate Director of the Echocardiography Laboratory at the Methodist DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center in Houston, Texas.

The MELVIN L. MARCUS MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished contribution as a Gifted Teacher to Professor Udho Thadani, M.D., Professor Emeritus of Medicine, University of Oklahoma, Staff Cardiologist OU Medical Center and VA Medical Center Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The DISTINGUISHED FELLOWSHIP AWARD was established by the International Academy of Cardiology to honor colleagues who have made profound contributions to Cardiovascular Medicine and provided important service to the Academy.

The 2008 Distinguished Fellowship Awards were presented to three Faculty of the 14th World Congress on Heart Disease:
* Professor Martin Alpert, M.D., Professor of Medicine, University of Missouri, Director, Clinical Cardiology Services, University of Missouri Health System, Columbia, MO, U.S.)
* Professor Naranjan S. Dhalla, PhD, M.D. (Hon), Distinguished Professor and Director of Cardiovascular Developments, St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
* Professor John A. Elefteriades, M.D. (The William W.L. Glenn Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Yale University and Yale New-Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT, U.S.)

The Chairman of the 14th World Congress on Heart Disease, Dr. Asher Kimchi (photo attached), is a native of Tel Aviv, Israel. He is an attending cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Clinical Professor of Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles. Dr. Kimchi is an internationally renowned Cardiologist, the Founder and Chairman of the International Academy of Cardiology and a Past-President of the American Heart Association, Los Angeles County.

According to Dr. Kimchi, "Heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death and disability for men and women in the industrialized countries and throughout much of the world." Dr. Kimchi continues, "Over the past two decades, we have witnessed impressive strides and explosive growth in the field of Cardiology."

"Thousands of scientists and clinicians around the globe are committed to the fight against heart disease and these award recipients are being honored today as the heroes in that fight," said Dr. Kimchi.

"We are proud of them and pleased to be able to recognize them for their uncompromising approach to their work. It gives me great pleasure to stand in the company of these pioneers," Dr. Kimchi continued.

The Opening Ceremony and Awards Presentations were chaired by:

Dr. Jeffrey S. Borer, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, Chief, Cardiovascular Pathophysiology Division, The New York Hospital, Cornell Medical Center, New York, USA; Chairman of the Scientific Executive Committee and Chairman of the Section of Valvular Heart Disease for the International Academy of Cardiology. In October, 2008, Dr. Borer will become Professor and Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine and of the Howard Gilman Cardiovascular Research Institute at State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences Center and Medical School.

The following Members of the International Academy of Cardiology also took part in the Awards Ceremony:
* Dr. John A. Elefteriades, Professor of Surgery, Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA; Member, Scientific Executive Committee and Chairman of the Section of Cardiovascular Surgery, International Academy of Cardiology.
* Dr. Marcos A. Rossi, Brazil, Professor of Pathology (Professor Titular since 1986), Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo; Member, Scientific Executive Committee and Chairman, Section of Cardiovascular Surgery, International Academy of Cardiology.
* Dr. Pawan K. Singal, Canada, Professor of Physiology and Director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, St. Boniface General Hospital and the University of Manitoba, Winnepeg, Canada; Member, Scientific Executive Committee and Chairman, Section of Vascular Biology, International Academy of Cardiology.

The Third H.J.C. Swan Memorial Lecture given at the Opening Ceremony on Sunday, July 27th, was delivered by Dr. Elizabeth L. Barrett-Connor (photo attached), Distinguished Professor and Chief, Division of Epidemiology/Family and Preventive Medicine, Cancer Prevention and Control Program of the University of California, San Diego.

As cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, claiming over 2.4 million lives each year, many of them women, Dr. Barrett-Connor chose to present and discuss "Women and Heart Disease in the Post-Women's Health Initiative Era." (Women's Health Initiative study of post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy).

Dr. Barrett-Connor's is an eminently respected physician whose research concerns healthy aging with a particular focus on gender differences and women's health. Her pioneering work spans many areas, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, memory loss and exogenous and endogenous hormones.

The World Congress on Heart Disease is presented by the International Academy of Cardiology, dedicated to the advancement of global research in cardiovascular medicine through the support of scientific meetings and publications. The World Congress is attended by physicians and scientists worldwide, and provides a forum for innovative and comprehensive overview of the latest research developments in cardiovascular medicine, primarily in the areas of molecular biology, coronary artery disease, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac surgery.

Many distinguished cardiologists and scientists joined the faculty and took part in this year's Congress. Papers were presented in the form of plenary sessions, symposia and posters and included superb scientific material that was carefully selected by the Scientific Abstract Review committee from over 800 abstracts submitted for presentation at the meeting. These 566 studies, originating from laboratories in 60 countries, assured that the meeting was a major scientific event.

The International Academy of Cardiology 15th World Congress on Heart Disease Annual Scientific Sessions 2009, will be held in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, July 18-21, 2009 (http://www.cardiologyonline.com/wchd09/WCHD_index.htm).

For further information, please visit www.cardiologyonline.com or email Cirina Catania, (pr @ catania.us), 661-347-1349.

All Photos Credit: Orly Halevy and Diana Ezra

###

International Academy of Cardiology
CIRINA CATANIA
661-347-1349
E-mail Information
Trackback URL: http://prweb.com/pingpr.php/Q291cC1Mb3ZlLUVtcHQtSGFsZi1Db3VwLVNpbmctWmVybw==