April 6, 2024 — Experts from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai will share new research and participate in more than 70 discussions during the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Annual Scientific Session April 6-8 in Atlanta.
Throughout the conference, Smidt Heart Institute experts will be available for media interviews.
“Smidt Heart Institute experts look forward to contributing their clinical and research expertise and learning from colleagues at this important meeting,” said Eduardo Marbán, MD, PhD, executive director of the Smidt Heart Institute and the Mark S. Siegel Family Foundation Distinguished Professor.
Award Presentation
During the awards ceremony at the Convocation and Reception, Monday, April 8, 4-6 p.m. EDT, the ACC will present Sumeet Chugh, MD, associate director of the Smidt Heart Institute, with this year’s Distinguished Scientist Award-Clinical Domain.
Chugh, the Pauline and Harold Price Chair in Cardiac Electrophysiology Research at Cedars-Sinai, investigates the causes of and potential treatments for abnormal heart rhythms, including sudden cardiac arrest. Chugh leads two ongoing studies that are collecting data from people who suffer sudden cardiac arrest in order to understand how to prevent this usually fatal condition.
Experts Available
The following experts also are available for interviews throughout ACC.24:
Christine M. Albert, MD, MPH, professor, chair of the Department of Cardiology and the Lee and Harold Kapelovitz Distinguished Chair in Cardiology, will present several sessions, including “Risk Stratifying ACM-Detected Ventricular Arrhythmias From PVCs to Sustained VT,” Sunday, April 7, 3:30-4:30 p.m. EDT. She also will serve as a panelist on the Eugene Braunwald Keynote, Monday, April 8, 1:30-2 p.m. EDT, and she will co-chair electrophysiology research presentations.
C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, director of the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center, will participate in a cardiovascular health for women session, “Where Are We Now: From WISE to CHEST PAIN Guidelines,” Sunday, April 7, 12:45-12:52 p.m. EDT.
Natalie Bello, MD, MPH, director of Hypertension Research, will present “What’s Sex Got to Do With It? Addressing Hypertension in Women,” Monday, April 8, 12:45-1 p.m. EDT.
Joseph Ebinger, MD, associate professor of Cardiology, will present “Bringing Hypertension Care to the People: Strategies to Address Disparities Among Racial/Ethnic Populations,” Monday, April 8, 1:15-1:30 p.m. EDT.
Martha Gulati, MD, director of Preventive Cardiology and the Anita Dann Friedman Chair in Women's Cardiovascular Medicine and Research, will co-chair the session “Don't Stop Me Now: Achieving Cardiovascular Health for Women,” Sunday, April 7, 12:15-1:30 p.m. EDT.
Aakriti Gupta, MD, assistant professor of Cardiology, will participate in a networking reception at ACC.24 that will bring together participants in the 2025 Clinical Trials Research (CTR) program. Gupta is one of 28 structural heart cardiologists and surgeons selected for CTR’s new Project REACH.
Raj Makkar, MD, associate director of the Smidt Heart Institute and vice president of Cardiovascular Innovation and Intervention at Cedars-Sinai, will co-chair the session “Flipping the Script: Aortic Stenosis Management in the Modern Era,” Saturday, April 6, 12-1:15 p.m. EDT. Makkar also will participate in the symposium “Valve Repair and Replacement in ‘Younger’ Adults—Percutaneous Versus Surgical Options,” Saturday, April 6, 2:05-2:11 p.m. EDT.
David Ouyang, MD, assistant professor of Cardiology, will lead several discussions about the clinical applications of artificial intelligence, including “Controversies in Medical AI,” Saturday, April 6, 11:20 a.m.-12 p.m. EDT; “Picturing the Future: Exploring the Use of AI in Cardiac Imaging,” Saturday, April 6, 1:45-1:55 p.m. EDT; and “Implementing AI Tools in Clinical Practice,” Sunday, April 7, 2:10-2:20 p.m. EDT.
For more information: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/programs/heart.html
September 24, 2025 
