(From left) Speakers Jack McDonnell and Sean Keoni Craig, Dione Hagemann and Ryan Sanico. Photo: Ivy Reynolds
As part of the UCLA Cardiovascular Theme’s Community Research Update series, leaders in cardiovascular surgery and research hosted an evening highlighting “Innovations in Heart and Lung Transplantation” on January 31, 2019. The event featured a reception with heart-healthy appetizers and refreshments, followed by an in-depth presentation from Dr. Abbas Ardehali (RES ’95, ’97), director of the UCLA Heart, Lung, and Heart-Lung Transplant Programs and William E. Connor Chair in Cardiothoracic Transplantation. As a national leader in lung transplant and heart transplant, UCLA is the busiest thoracic surgery center in the west. Dr. Ardehali showcased the innovative nature of the heart/lung transplantation programs and pioneering advances in transplant research, surgical technique, organ procurement and patient care. In outlining his vision for the future of organ transplantation, he emphasized an ex-vivo perfusion approach, which keeps organs in a “near normal” state and improves the quality of donor organs, significantly increasing their availability. Special guests and transplant patients John McDonnell and Sean Keoni Craig spoke about how heart and lung transplants at UCLA have affected their lives.
For more information, contact Laurel Zeno at: 310-825-1980
