The American Heart Association (AHA)’s Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia has selected Dr. Marc Ruel of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) to deliver the prestigious William W. L. Glenn Lecture during the AHA’s Scientific Sessions 2023 in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Dr. Ruel is a cardiac surgeon world-renowned for having pioneered multi-vessel minimally invasive coronary artery bypass surgery and several other innovative cardiac surgical techniques. At the UOHI, he is a professor and the endowed chair of minimally invasive cardiac research in the Division of Cardiac Surgery, where he served as division head from 2012 to 2023.
His lecture, titled “A Crucial Time and Role for Surgeons in Cardiovascular Therapeutics” will focus on the role of surgeons in designing and participating in trials that compare surgery to less invasive approaches. Dr. Ruel will present the lectureship on Sunday, November 12.
“Cardiac surgery generally provides the most definitive therapy for severe, advanced heart disease. However, although cardiac surgery is very robust, it is also an invasive way to fix heart disease,” said Dr. Ruel. “While all cardiac surgeons must be technical experts, some also need to take a role in leading the broader cardiovascular field in minimally invasive approaches, so that patients may be best served over the entire spectrum of heart therapies.”
The William W. L. Glenn Lecture was established in 1989 in honour of Dr. William W. L. Glenn, a pioneer cardiac surgeon who made important contributions to the treatment of congenital and acquired heart disease. Dr. Glenn was active in the AHA’s programs from 1957 and was the spearheading force in the activities of the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery (now the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia). He was the first surgeon to hold the position of president of the AHA (from 1970 to 1971).
“I am honoured to present the William W. L. Glenn Lecture at the scientific sessions of the American Heart Association,” said Dr. Ruel. “Recognition fosters collaboration, interest, and innovation, and it helps attract top-tier talent in the cardiac field to Ottawa to work at the UOHI. In my view, international recognition is part of what drives clinical excellence, surgical innovation, and cardiovascular research and education.”
The American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions will take place from November 11 to 13.
For more information
- For more information about the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2023, visit the conference webpage.
- For more information about the William W. L. Glenn Lecture, visit the lectureship webpage.
To schedule an interview with Dr. Marc Ruel, please coordinate with the liaison below.
Media contact
Leigh B. Morris
Communications Officer
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
613-316-6409 (cell)
lmorris@ottawaheart.ca