Cardiac surgeon Ismail El-Hamamsy, MD, PhD, has been named the new president of the Heart Valve Society. He officially started his one-year term Wednesday, Feb. 21, at HVS 2024, the group’s 2024 annual meeting in Boston.
El-Hamamsy currently serves as the director of aortic surgery for the Mount Sinai Health System and a professor of cardiovascular surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. His specialties include the Ross procedure—he and his team performed more than 100 in 2023 alone—and other aortic valve replacement techniques.
“I am very excited and honored to lead the Heart Valve Society and further consolidate its role as a unique society dedicated to valvular heart disease,” El-Hamamsy said in a statement. “In the year to come, I aim to further advance awareness about the global burden of valve disease, as well as promote collaborative research initiatives between scientists and clinicians. Furthermore, I hope to leverage the Heart Valve Society as a great educational platform for cardiologists and surgeons, in order to advance best practices for patients worldwide.”
El-Hamamsy previously served on the Heart Valve Society’s board of directors, and he is an active member of the group, leading several sessions at HVS 2024. He said he plans on spending his term as president focused on fostering collaborations and encouraging innovation.
What is the Heart Valve Society?
The Heart Valve Society brings together cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and other healthcare specialists with a goal of reducing the global burden of heart valve disease. The group’s first annual meeting was held in Monaco in 2015, and subsequent gatherings took place in the United States, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.
El-Hamamsy is the Heart Valve Society’s 11th president. Carlijn Bouten, PhD, MSc, a professor with the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, served as its previous president in 2023-24.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.