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…

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…

Roxana Mehran is an internationally recognised interventional cardiologist and clinical researcher based in New York, United States. She has spent much of her professional career at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Mount Sinai Hospital, where she has become a leading figure in cardiovascular clinical trials, interventional cardiology, and outcomes research. Her work is widely noted for its focus on improving patient outcomes, advancing evidence-based care, and promoting sex-specific research in cardiovascular medicine.

Academic History

Professor Mehran pursued her medical education and postgraduate training in internal medicine and cardiology, followed by subspecialty training in interventional cardiology. Her academic career has been closely aligned with Mount Sinai, where she has advanced through senior academic ranks.

She currently holds appointments as Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) and Professor of Population Health Science…

Prof Philipp Lurz is Director of the Department of Cardiology Universitätsmedizin Mainz, Germany. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Head of the Department at Heart Center Leipzig, Germany. Previously, Prof Lurz was a Clinical Research Fellow at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust. He completed his education at the University of Leipzig, and is a member of the German Society of Cardiology. Philipp is widely published in leading international peer-reviewed journals.