Ajay J Kirtane, is Professor of Medicine at the Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) Hospital / CUMC. Dr. Kirtane is an internationally-renowned leader in Interventional Cardiology, specializing in the care of patients with complex coronary and peripheral vascular disease.

In addition to his clinical commitments, Ajay has a strong interest in clinical education and research, serving as Chief Academic Officer of Columbia Interventional Cardiovascular Care. He is a director of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics conference, has served as a director of several international, national, and regional educational conferences, and has participated on the program committees for the scientific sessions of both the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association. Ajay’s research…

Prof David Hildick-Smith is Professor of Interventional Cardiology and Consultant Cardiologist at the Sussex Cardiac Centre - the Regional Specialist Unit. He is Director of the Cardiac Research, ex-Treasurer of the British Cardiovascular Interventions Society, and, with more than 20 years experience of Interventional Cardiology, is considered one of the country's leading experts in management of Cardiovascular complaints.

A pioneer of Interventional Cardiology, David is recognised internationally as a leader in cardiovascular diagnosis and treatment. 

Professor Lars Søndergaard is a consultant cardiologist at Rigshospitalet – Copenhagen, Denmark. Professor of Cardiology at University of Copenhagen, he published over 300 peer reviewed articles, and more than 15 textbook chapters. His research interests are focused on adults with congenital heart diseases and catheter-based heart valve interventions, as well as congenital and structural heart diseases. He led the first-in-human transcatheter mitral valve implantation (CardiAQ) in 2012 and he actively participated to several trials, including NOTION (transcatheter vs. surgical aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic stenosis and low surgical risk), and the REDUCE randomised trial (PFO vs anti-platelet therapy after cryptogenic stroke).

Dr Margaret McEntegart serves as the Director of Complex PCI and CTO programmes at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, US. She also holds the role of Director of Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at Columbia University Irving Medical Center / New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Before joining Columbia, Dr McEntegart served as a consultant interventional cardiologist at Golden Jubilee National Hospital (UK), where she played a pivotal role in establishing and leading the CTO and Complex PCI Programme.

Dr Kendra Grubb is the surgical director of the Emory Structural Heart and Valve Center. She is also an associate professor of surgery at Emory University School of Medicine.

Kendra is a champion for women's heart disease and is dedicated to improving the lives of all patients through innovation, collaboration and a patient-centred approach to the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

Her clinical interests include valve repair or replacement, coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and hybrid coronary revascularization.

Dr Grubb research interests are innovative cardiac surgery technologies. She has led and participated in multiple clinical trials of innovative cardiac surgery technologies, including studies of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), MitraClip percutaneous therapy and the GORE® conformable TAG® thoracic endoprosthesis for the primary treatment of…

Prof Van Mieghem initially intended to train as a cardiac surgeon but decided to specialise in interventional cardiology instead, following advice from a mentor. This decision was cemented when he read the first-in-human case report of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in Circulation by Alain Cribier in 2002. Prof Van Mieghem believes that great cardiologist genuinely cares for their patients. He names Gary Roubin, Dr Manu Malbrain and Professor Patrick Serruys among his mentors. 

Academic History

Prof. Nicolas M. Van Mieghem completed his medical training at the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), where he earned both his medical degree and his specialist degree in cardiology. During his time in Leuven, he developed a strong interest in cardiovascular medicine, particularly in the emerging field of minimally invasive cardiac interventions. After finishing his core medical and cardiology training, he pursued multiple advanced…