Eduardo Marbán, Internationally Renowned Cardiologist and Heart Researcher, to Join Cedars-Sinai As Director of Heart Institute

Los Angeles - May 8, 2007 – Eduardo Marbán, M.D., Ph.D., one of the world's leading cardiologists and heart researchers and currently chief of cardiology at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, has been named director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute.

Marbán, professor of cardiology, physiology and biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins, is widely recognized for his accomplishments leading major multidisciplinary programs in heart research. He will assume his new responsibilities at Cedars-Sinai this fall.

Marbán's research focusing on the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in heart disease has translated into key discoveries in such areas as gene therapy, stem cells and drug treatments for heart attack, heart failure and stroke.

As the first director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Marbán will integrate, oversee and continue the development of Cedars-Sinai's world-renowned cardiac programs -- in cardiology, cardiac surgery, cardiac imaging and other areas -- working closely with Cedars-Sinai's department chairs and division directors. The Heart Institute will bring together all of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's heart-related research, clinical and educational programs.

"Dr. Marbán's outstanding ability as a leader, scientist and clinician will greatly benefit Cedars- Sinai's highly recognized heart programs," said Thomas M. Priselac, president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai Health System.

"Starting in the 1970s with Drs. Jeremy Swan, William Ganz and Jack Matloff, and continuing today, Cedars-Sinai has a proud history of being a home to pioneers in cardiology and cardiac surgery. Dr. Marbán's leadership and expertise, combined with the wonderful talents of our clinicians and scientists, reflects our commitment that Cedars-Sinai remains at the forefront of leading-edge research and treatment of heart disease for many years to come " Priselac said.

Marbán cited the strength of Cedars-Sinai's heart specialists as a key attraction. "I am honored and pleased to take on this new challenge at Cedars Sinai, with a view to catapulting the cardiac programs at this tremendous organization to new heights. Cedars-Sinai's tradition of clinical excellence, combined with its distinguished record of innovative translational research, provide the ideal setting for a world-class heart institute," Marbán said.

At Johns Hopkins, where he also held the Michel Mirowski, M.D. Professorship in Cardiology,
Marbán founded and directed the university's Donald W. Reynolds Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center, a $36 million, seven-year grant from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation. Under Marbán's leadership, Johns Hopkins was named in 2003 by the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation as one of only three such centers in the nation, which are selected for their premier cardiac research. The others are at Harvard and the University of Texas.

Marbán will remain editor-in-chief of Circulation Research, one of the world's leading cardiovascular journals.

His research focuses on the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in various heart problems, including arrhythmias, heart failure and heart attack. In addition to publishing more than 300 peer-reviewed manuscripts, Marbán has made several discoveries that have translated into patents in such areas as gene therapy, stem cells and drug treatments for heart disease and stroke, and his inventions have also formed the basis for three startup companies.

Marbán is the recipient of many National Institutes of Health grants over the years, and received the highly selective MERIT Award from the NIH, which recognizes researchers who have demonstrated superior competence and outstanding long-term productivity in research. His recent interests have focused on stem cells and regenerative therapy with a view to developing new treatments for life-threatening heart diseases. He directs a Specialized Center for Cell-based Therapy program in stem cell therapy, the only such center nationally to be focused on cardiac regeneration, in a $12 million, five-year contract from the NIH.

Among the many honors he has received over the years are: the Gill Heart Institute Award, Fellow of the International Society for Heart Research, Fellow of the American Physiological Society, Fellow of the American Heart Association, Fellow of the Heart Rhythm Society and Distinguished Scientist Award of the American Heart Association.

"Eduardo Marbán's extraordinary skills as a leader in clinical care and translational research will make our world-class heart programs even stronger," said Shlomo Melmed, M.D., Cedars-Sinai's senior vice-president for academic affairs and chief academic officer. "With research advances increasingly dependent on the ability to bring together different specialties and disciplines, the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute will be very well positioned for success under Dr. Marbán's leadership."