2007 International Academy of Cardiology Awards

Left to Right: John A. Elefteriades, M.D., Thomas Force, M.D., Francis G. Spinale, M.D., Ph.D., Uri Elkayam, M.D., Jeffrey S. Borer, M.D., Asher Kimchi, M.D., Clive Rosendorff, M.D., Ph.D., George W. Vetrovec, M.D.,James D. Chesebro, M.D., Gerald S. Berenson, M.D., Lewis C. Becker, M.D.

Photo credit: Orly Halevy and Diana Ezra

The International Academy of Cardiology has established five awards to honor 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 140 faculty members selected the recipients.

The following awards for 2007 were presented at the 13th World Congress on Heart Disease:

• The WALTER BLEIFELD MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Clinical Research to Professor Clive Rosendorff, M.D., PhD., currently Professor of Medicine & Associate Chairman, Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, J.J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx N.Y.
  
• The ALBRECHT FLECKENSTEIN MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Basic Research to Professor Thomas Force, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Clinical Director of the Center for Translational Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia
  
• The JAN J. KELLERMANN MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention to Professor Gerald S. Berenson, M.D., of the Tulane School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, Department of Epidemiology.
  
• The HANS-PETER KRAYENBUEHL MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished work in the field of Research in Cardiac Function to Professor Lewis C. Becker, M.D., currently the Robert L. Levy Professor of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
  
• The MELVIN L. MARCUS MEMORIAL AWARD for distinguished contribution as a Gifted Teacher to Professor George W. Vetrovec, M.D., Chairman of the Division of Cardiology, Director of the Adult Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, and the Department of internal medicine's Associate Chairman of Medicine for Clinical Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University.
  
• The DISTINGUISHED FELLOWSHIP AWARD, newly 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, was presented to three Faculty of the 13th World Congress on Heart Disease: Professor James H. Chesebro, M.D.,(University of Massachusetts Medical School and Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, MA), Professor Uri Elkayam, M.D. (Director of the Heart Failure Program and a Professor of Medicine at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles) and Professor Francis G. Spinale, M.D. (Professor of Surgery, Physiology and Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina).

The Chairman of the 13th World Congress on Heart Disease, Dr. Asher Kimchi, is a native of Tel Aviv, Israel and is an attending cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; Clinical Professor of Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles; Dr. Kimchi who is an Internationally renowned Cardiologist is the Founder and Chairman of the International Academy of Cardiology and an immediate 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 industrialised countries and throughout much of the world. 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 honoured today as the heroes in that fight."

"We are proud of them and pleased to be able to recognise 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 International Academy of Cardiology is 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 900 abstracts submitted for presentation at the meeting. These 650 studies, originating from laboratories in 56 countries, assured that the meeting was a major scientific event.

The 13th World Congress on Heart Disease is presented by the International Academy of Cardiology. For further information, please visit www.cardiologyonline.com

Source: eMediaWire.com