Dr. Paul Fedak appointed director of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta

The Cumming School of Medicine (CSM) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Paul Fedak, MD, PhD, to director of the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta and department head, Cardiac Sciences. The appointments take effect Aug. 1, 2019.

Paul takes over for Dr. Todd Anderson, MD, who is being appointed to senior associate dean, Faculty Affairs effective Sept. 1, 2019.

Paul is an internationally-recognized cardiac surgeon, researcher and educator, known for his commitment to new surgical therapies for advanced heart disease. He currently directs the Marlene and Don Campbell Family Cardiac Research Laboratory at the CSM and is co-lead of a study with scientists at Northwestern University in Chicago to improve diagnosis and treatment of people with a common and dangerous heart defect (bicuspid aortic valve).

The study uses a cutting-edge imaging technique that enable three-dimensional visualization of blood flow in real time and tissue analysis to inform personalized treatment of patients. It aims to cut down on the number of unnecessary open-heart surgeries while identifying and targeting patients who are at highest risk.

Paul also pioneered novel sternal closure techniques following heart surgery and is currently developing new approaches to tissue engineering to treat heart failure.

Paul a professor of Cardiac Sciences at CSM and adjunct professor at Northwestern University. He is a member of the Libin Institute.

Paul graduated from medical school at the University of Toronto and completed further training in cardiac surgery and biomedical science in Toronto and Chicago. He also completed leadership training through Harvard University.

He has published more than 150 peer-reviewed original manuscripts and numerous book chapters. His research has been funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the National Institutes of Health. He is the recipient of numerous national and international research awards including the C. Walton Lillehei Award (American Association for Thoracic Surgery), Vivien Thomas Young Investigator Award (American Heart Association), Paul Cartier Award (Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons) and Watanabe Distinguished Achievement Award (CSM). He was also named to Calgary’s Top 40 Under 40 (Avenue Magazine).

Please join me in congratulating Paul on his new leadership role within the CSM.

Sincerely,

 

Jon Meddings, MD
Dean, Cumming School of Medicine   
University of Calgary