Speakers and chairpersons

Bo Angelin

Senior Professor of Clinical Metabolic Research
Metabolism Unit and Integrated CardioMetabolic Center (ICMC), Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden

Principal Investigator; previous head of Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes and directior of the ICMC; previous President of EAS.

Expertise: Genetic dyslipidemias, Diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular, hepatobiliary, intestinal and metabolic disease.

Research interest: Studies of cholesterol, bile acid and lipoprotein metabolism in humans.

Other interests: Abnormalities of lipoprotein metabolism in relation to perturbations of endocrine, central nervous, hepatic and intestinal malfunction and nutrition.

Ly Anton

MD, Cardiologist
North Estonia Medical Centre Foundation, Centre of Cardiology, Tallinn, Estonia

Member of the Heart Failure Association of the ESC, Member of European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging

Expertise, field in cardiology: Pulmonary hypertension

Research interest: Pulmonary hypertension

Vesa Anttila

Specialist in Thorax and Heart Surgery, MD
Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery
The Heart Center of  Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

Short biography:
Vesa Anttila graduated from the University of Oulu Medical School in 1987. He finalized his surgical specialization program in 1996 and cardiovascular surgery program in 1998. His doctoral thesis in 2000 focused on cerebral protection in aortic surgery in an experimental porcine model. In 2001-2004 Vesa Anttila worked in Dr. Richard Jonas’s group at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA. This international group focused on hypothermia during cardiopulmonary bypass. After returning back to Oulu, Finland, Dr. Anttila continued his clinical work in the Department of Cardiac Surgery and experimental research work on hypothermic circulatory arrest, myocardial infarction, and remote ischemic precondition. In 2011 he moved to Toronto, Canada for a year in order to gain experience on aortic and valve surgery. Vesa Anttila has also completed a 2-year executive MBA program in the University of Oulu in 2009.

David O. Arnar

Dr. David O. Arnar completed his MD from the University of Iceland. He also holds a PhD from the University of Iceland and an Executive Master of Public Health degree from the University of Reykjavik. Dr. Arnar did his postgraduate training at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City in the United States in internal medicine, cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology.
Dr. Arnar is the Chief of Cardiology at Landspitali – The National University Hospital in Iceland and is a Professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Iceland. He is a consultant to deCODE genetics/Amgen.
His research interests include the genetics of arrhythmias, precision medicine and the effects of atrial fibrillation on the central nervous system including brain volume, blood flow and cognitive function.
Dr. Arnar is the President of the Icelandic Society of Internal Medicine and a member of the Board of the Icelandic Cardiac Society.

Dan Atar

Professor of Cardiology, MD, FESC, FACC, FAHA
Oslo University Hospital, Ulleval
University of Oslo, Norway

Short synopsis of CV
Dan Atar is Head of Research at Oslo University Hospital Ulleval, Dept. of Mecidine, Oslo, Norway, and holds a full Professorship in Cardiology at the University of Oslo, Norway, along with a Visiting Associate Professorship at the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Dan Atar trained in Denmark, Switzerland, and the United States before receiving his board certification in Internal Medicine and Cardiology in 1995. His research focuses on myocardial biomarkers, myocardial function, heart failure and cardiovascular pharmacology. He has written over 400 articles and book chapters (H-index 64) and holds the fellowship-titles FESC, FACC, and inaugural FAHA. Dan Atar is the Past-Chairman of the ESC Working Group on Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy. He was chairing an EU-FP7 research consortium (“Mitocare”) to study reperfusion injury in STEMI and chairs currently the national BETAMI-trial. He also acts as partner in the EU-Horizon2020 “Climate-and-health” project. Dan Atar was on a number of ESC guideline writing committees, amongst others the “2010, 2012 and 2016 ESC Guideline on Atrial Fibrillation” as well as the 2012 STEMI-guideline and the 2018 “Universal Definition of AMI”. In 2012 Dan Atar was elected as Councillor and Board member of the ESC. Further, in 2014, he was elected as Vice-President of the ESC for the 2014-2016 Board. For his scientific achievements, he earned a doctor honoris causa in 2015 and appears on the 2016 and 2017 Thomson-Reuters list of “the most cited scientists of the world”. In 2018, Dan Atar was elected Treasurer/Secretary of the ESC Board.

Giedre Balciunaite

Cardiologist, MD
Vilnius University Hospital Santaros clinic, Vilnius, Lithuania

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiac imaging, Cardiac ultrasound, Valvular and myocardial diseases

Research interest: PhD student, field of research – Left ventricular damage in aortic stenosis; TTR cardiac amyloidosis

Other interests: ESC accreditation in TTE and TOE

Gintautas Bieliauskas

MD, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist
Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

Expertise, field in cardiology: Interventional cardiology – focus on structural heart disease and aortic interventions (such as TAVI, LAAO, TEVAR)

Research interest: CT imaging for peri-procedural planning in structural heart interventions; endovascular treatment of aortic dissections

Øyvind Bleie

Cardiologist, MD, PhD, FESC
Director of Interventional Cardiology, Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

President of the Norwegian Society of Cardiology

Ann Bovin

Cardiologist, MD
Vejle Hospital, Vejle, Denmark

EAPC National CVD Prevention Coordinator

Expertise, field in cardiology: Interventional Cardiology, Cardiac Rehabilitation

Research interest: Cardiac Rehabilitation

Rolf Busund

Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon, Professor, MD, PhD
University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
The Arctic University og Norway, Tromsø, Norway

Expertise, field in cardiology: Valvular diseases, TAVI

Research interest: Cardiovascular research, Immune modulation

Other interests: Heart team concept

Jelena Čelutkienė

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Professor, FESC, FACC, FHFA
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania

HFA Board member

Expertise, field in cardiology: Heart failure, Imaging

Research interest: Acute heart failure, heart failure biomarkers, innovative imaging in heart failure

Other interests: Enthusiastic about Multidisciplinary care of heart failure

Michael Christiansen

Chief Physician, Adjunct Professor, MD, FRCPath
Head, Molecular Medicine, Statens Serum Institut
Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Expertise, field in cardiology: Molecular, genetic and genomic cardiology

Research interest: Genetic and genomic basis of arrhythmias and structural heart diseases

Other interests: Exploring and improving the evidence-base of personalized medicine

Marina Demidova

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Research Institute of Human Brain Russian Academy of Sciences, St Petersburg, Russia

Member of ESC, ISE

Research interests: Myocardial ischemia, Ventricular arrhythmias, Electrocardiology, Non-invasive ECG-based risk stratification in arrhhythmic disorders

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Leslie SP Eide

Gerontology, RN, PhD
Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway

Research interest: Delirium following SAVR or TAVI

Andrejs Erglis

Cardiologist, Radiologist, MD, PhD
Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia

President of the Latvian Society of Cardiology, FESC, FACC

Expertise, field in cardiology: Interventional Cardiology, Structural Heart Disease, Cardiovascular imaging, Epidemiology

Research interest: Interventional Cardiology, Regenerative Medicine, Precision Medicine

Other interests: art, hockey and tennis

Frank Flachskampf

MD, PhD, Professor, Cardiologist
Uppsala University, Department of Medical Sciences and Clinical Physiology, Akademiska hospital, both Uppsala, Sweden

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiology, Cardiac Imaging

Research interest: Valvular heart disease, heart failure.

Geeta Gulati

MD, PhD
Oslo University Hospital, Ullevaal/Akershus University Hospital, Norway

Board member at the Norwegian Society of Cardiology and chair of CoT Norway

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardio-Oncology

Research interest: Cardio-Oncology

Henrik Steen Hansen

Cardiologist, Associate Professor, MD, DMSc, FESC
Department of Cardiology B, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark

President of the Danish Society of Cardiology

Expertise, field in cardiology: Interventional cardiology, Preventive cardiology

Research interest: Interventional cardiology, Preventive cardiology

Christian Hassager

Cardiologist, Professor, MD, DMSc
Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet and Department of Clinical Medicine, Copenhagen University, Denmark

President elect for ACCA, Chair of the Danish Heart Association.

Expertise, field in cardiology: Intensive cardiology and Echocardiography

Research interest: Cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock

Antti Hedman

MD, PhD, MSc, Adjunct Professor
Chief Medical Officer
Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland

Expertise field in cardiology: Arrhythmias, Electrophysiology, Ablation, Device therapy

Research Interest: Arrhythmias, Atrial fibrillation, Resynhronization, Gene-therapy

Marja Hedman

MD, PhD, Adjunct Professor, Cardiologist
Kuopio University Hospital, Department of Clinical Radiology and University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiology, Cardiovascular Imaging

Research interest: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging; 4D flow and myocardial fibrosis, Myocardial perfusion (different imaging modalities) and Cardiac resynchronization, Cardioembolic stroke, Gene therapy.

Claes Held

Professor of Cardiology, FESC, FACC
Uppsala Clinical Research Center, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

Chair of the Clinical Endpoint Adjudication Committee

Expertise: Acute and chronic coronary heart disease, Cardiac rehabilitation and prevention, Behavioral cardiology

Research interest: Acute coronary syndromes, Chronic coronary heart disease, Prevention, Behavioral cardiology, Clinical Endpoint adjudication, Registry-based randomized clinical trials

Tiina Maria Heliö

MD, PhD, FESC, Adjunct Professor, Cardiologist
Chief Physician
Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

Member of ESC WG on Myocardial and Pericardial Diseases

Expertise, fields in cardiology: Inherited cardiovascular diseases, Cardiomyopathies,
GUCH

Research interests: Genetics, Inherited cardiovascular diseases, Cardiomyopathies

Anita Hiippala

MD, Pediatric Cardiologist
New Children´s Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

Expertise, field in cardiology: Pediatric electrophysiology, Inherited arrhythmias

Hilma Hólm

Cardiologist, MD, Head of cardiovascular research at deCODE genetics
deCODE genetics, Reykjavik, Iceland

Expertise, field in cardiology: Echocardiography, Cardiovascular genetics

Research interest: Genetics of cardiovascular diseases, common and rare

Thórdís Jóna Hrafnkelsdóttir

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Landspítalinn National University Hospital Reykjavík, Iceland

President of the Icelandic Cardiac Society, FESC, Member of the Nordic-Baltic HF registries working group

Expertise, field in cardiology: Heart failure, Echocardiography, Transplantation, Women and heart disease

Research interest: Endothelial function

Other interests: Medical education – and all kind of endurance sport, especially trail running

Ida Elisabeth Højskov

Clinical nurse specialist, MSN, PhD
Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Denmark

Chair of the Danish Cardiovascular Nursing Society

Expertise, field in cardiology: Nursing and patient with heart failure/ ischemic heart patient

Research interest: Cardiac rehabilitation

Nikolaj Ihlemann

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Rigshospitalet, The Heart Center, Copenhagen University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark 

Expertise, field in cardiology: Echocardiography and Interventional Cardiology, Structural heart disease, Valvular heart diseases

Research interest: Valvular heart disease, Endocarditis, Transcatheter treatment

Pekka Jaakkola

Cardiothoracic surgeon, MD, PhD
Chief, Cardiac surgery
Kuopio Heart Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland

Expertise: Adult cardiac surgery, Aortic interventions – open and endovascular

Research interest: Aortic dilatation

Other interests: virtual reality, artificial intelligence, serendipity, bird photography, gardening

Stefan James

Professor of Cardiology and Senior Interventional Cardiologist
Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

Chairman Swedish Cardiac Society, Scientific Director Uppsala Clinical research center, Uppsala University

Expertise, field in cardiology: Interventional Cardiology, Coronary and Valvular diseases

Research interest: Acute coronary syndromes, Clinical trials, Registries

Other interests: Sports

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Mikko Jormalainen

Cardiothoracic surgeon, MD, PhD
Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiac surgery, Aortic surgery, Aortic endovascular treatment

Research interest: Cardiovascular consequences of endocrinological diseases, Aortic pathologies

Pertti Jääskeläinen

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Heart Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland

Expertise, field in cardiology: Interventional Cardiology

Research interest: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Priit Kampus

MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Cardiology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
Electrophysiologist, Cardiology Centre, North Estonia Medical Centre, Tallinn, Estonia.

President of the Estonian Society of Cardiology

Expertise, field in cardiology: Catheter ablation, Cardiac pacing, Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy, Hypertension, Atrial Fibrillation

Research interest: Atrial fibrillation, Hypertension, Arterial stiffness.

Juan Pablo Kaski

MD (Res), FESC, FRCP
Paediatric Cardiologist & Senior Lecturer

Centre for Inherited Cardiovascular Diseases, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK and University College London (UCL) Institute of Cardiovascular Science, London, UK

Chair, Working Group on Genetics, Basic Science and Myocardial Disease of the Association for European Paediatric Cardiology (AEPC); Member of ESC WG on myocardial and pericardial diseases; Council member – Association for Inherited Cardiac Conditions (AICC)

Expertise, field in cardiology: Paediatric Inherited Cardiovascular Disease

Research interest: Clinical and genetic characterisation of childhood HCM and other inherited cardiac conditions

Bettina H. Kirk

Clinical Nurse Specialist, RN, MScN
Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

TAVI coordinator.

Expertise, field in cardiology: Nursing Care, Interventional Cardiology, Valvular diseases

Research interest: Processes of care to support innovations in cardiac care. Patients’ experiences of care. Frailty.

Juhani Knuuti

Professor, MD, PhD, FESC
Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

Member of the ESC Clinical Guideline Committee, Member of the ESC Nominating Committee.

Expertise, field in cardiology: Imaging

Research interest: Coronary heart disease, Heart failure

Other interests: Science blogging. Music.

Biography:
Juhani Knuuti, MD, PhD, (*8.4.1960) is Director and Professor of Turku PET Centre, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Finland. His main research field is noninvasive imaging especially using PET, SPECT, echocardiography, MRI and CT.
He has published over 500 articles in peer-reviewed journals and books. His h-index is 75 and the publications have been cited over 43 000 times (over 85 citations per item).
The main research focus has been on cardiovascular diseases especially coronary artery disease and heart failure. He has worked actively in European Society of Cardiology and European Association of Nuclear Medicine working groups, councils and committees. He is currently a member of the ESC Clinical Guideline Committee. He has arranged several international congresses and acts as member of editorial boards of several scientific journals. He is currently also Senior Associate Editor of European Heart Journal – Cardiovascular Imaging.

Outi Kähkönen

PhD, RN
The Research Unit of Nursing Science and Health Management, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

Research interest: Adherence to treatment of post-PCI patients

Tomas Lapinskas

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania

Member of European Society of Cardiology (ESC)
Member of Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the ESC
Member of European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI)
Member of Lithuanian Society of Cardiology (LSC)

Expertise, field in cardiology: Non-invasive cardiovascular imaging

Research interest: Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, Heart failure, Ischemic heart disease

Academic bio
Dr. Lapinskas is a board certified cardiologist who specializes in diagnosing and treating patients with ischemic heart disease (coronary artery disease), non-ischemic heart disease and heart failure at the Department of Cardiology, Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. He has a special interest in cardiovascular imaging with high experience level in cardiac MRI. Dr. Lapinskas received his medical degree from Kaunas University of Medicine in 2008. He completed Internal Medicine internship and residency at Lithuanian University of Health Sciences in 2013. He also went on to complete Cardiovascular Imaging Fellowships at the University of Gent (Belgium), University Medical Center Rotterdam (The Netherlands) and German Heart Center Berlin (Germany) in 2010-2012. Dr. Tomas Lapinskas worked as a clinical research fellow and member of MRI-Core-Lab at German Heart Center in Berlin (Germany) in 2016−2018. Dr. Lapinskas is a dedicated educator of medical students, interns, residents, and fellows.

Lene Larsen

RN,  VAD-coordinator
Centre for Cardiac, Vascular, Pulmonary and Infectious Diseases in the Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark

Johan Lassus

Cardiologist, MD, PhD, Chief Physician
HUH Heart and Lung Center, Cardiology, Jorvi Hospital, Espoo, Finland

Expertise, field in cardiology: Heart Failure

Research interest: Heart Failure, Biomarkers

Riikka Lautamäki

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Heart Centre, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

Member of the NBCC2019 Organising Committee

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiac imaging

Research interest: Cardiac imaging

Øyvind H. Lie

MD, PhD
Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway

EACVI Web & Communication Committee Member

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiomyopathy, Cardiac imaging, Ventricular arrhythmia

Research interest: Cardiomyopathy, Athletes heart

Maria Liljeroos

RN, PhD, Adjunct lecturer
Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Centre for Clinical Research Sörmland, Uppsala University, Eskilstuna, Sweden

Chair of VIC

Expertise, field in cardiology: Heart failure

Research interest: Heart failure self-care, caregivers, ehealth, innovations

Jūratė Macijauskienė

MD, PhD, Professor in Geriatrics
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania

Expertise, field in cardiology: Elderly care, Nursing

Research interest: Cognitive impairment, Delirium, Frailty, Falls, Patient reported outcomes, Patient centred care, Interprofessional education

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Jarkko Magga

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland

Expertise, field in cardiology: Electrophysiology

Germanas Marinskis

Cardiologist, MD, PhD, FESC, FACC
Professor at Vilnius University, Clinic of Cardiovascular Diseases; Chief of the Department of Cardiac Arrhythmias, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania

Past-President of the Lithuanian Society of Cardiology

Expertise, field in cardiology: Treatment of cardiac arrhythmias; Pacing and resynchronization therapy

Research interest: Atrial fibrillation

Satu Mikkonen

Nurse, Master of Health Sciences (MHS)
Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland

Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)

Expertise, field in cardiology: Patient education and counselling

Research interest: Patient participation/involvement in health care

Other interests: Interested about health service development and use of digital services in health care

Stellan Mörner

Cardiologist, MD, Associate Professor
Heart Center, Umeå University Hospital, Sweden

Member of the European Reference Network, GUARD-Heart

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiomyopathies. Cardiogenetics

Research interest: Cardiomyopathies, specifically hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Cardiogenetic diseases

Tone M. Norekvål

Professor, RN, MSc, PhD
Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

Member of ESC Education Committee.
Board member ACNAP in the ESC.
Associate editor European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing.

Expertise, field in cardiology: Arrhythmias, Interventional Cardiology, Valvular diseases

Research interest: Patient-reported outcomes in cardiology; frailty, delirium, medication adherence, continuity of care, self-reported health; in patients with aortic stenosis, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias (ICD recipients in particular).

Ellen Ostenfeld

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Lund University, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Clinical Physiology, and Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden

Chair of the Swedish Imaging working group

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiac Imaging (CMR, CCT, echocardiography), Pulmonary hypertension, Congenital heart disease

Research interest: CMR, CCT, Echocardiography, Pulmonary hypertension, Congenital heart disease

Erik J. S. Packer

Cardiologist, MD
Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

Expertise, field in cardiology: Interventional cardiology, Structural heart disease

Research interest: Structural heart disease, Cardiac arrest and assist devices

Rasa Paleckiene

General practice nurse
Chief specialist at Nursing Coordination Service, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Hospital Kaunas clinics and
Teacher at Department of Nursing and Care, Faculty of Nursing, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
Doctoral studies (PhD) in Nursing at Lithuanian University of Health Sciences

Chair of the Lithuanian nurses association of cardiology

Expertise, field in cardiology: Heart failure, patient education

Research interest: Quality of life and clinical outcomes of the patients with heart failure involved in the multidisciplinary program

Trond Røed Pettersen

Clinical nurse specialist, cardiovascular nursing, MSc, PhD-student
Haukeland University Hospital, Department of Heart Disease, Bergen, Norway, and Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Norway

Expertise, field in cardiology: Patient-reported outcome measures in cardiology, coronary artery disease

Research interest: Medication adherence in patients with coronary artery disease / In-hospital telemetry monitoring

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Jarkko Piuhola

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland

Expertise, field in cardiology: Interventional Cardiology, Aortic Stenosis

Research interest: Aortic stenosis, Heart failure

Pyotr G Platonov

Professor, Senior Consultant, MD, PhD
Department of Cardiology, Clinical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

FESC, FHRS, International Society for Holter and Noninvasive Electrocardiology (ISHNE, Board of Trustees); International Council of Electrocardiology (Member); International Society for Computerized Electrocardiology (ISCE, Board of Directors); Computing in Cardiology (Board of Directors)

Expertise, field in cardiology: Electrophysiology, Cardiogenetics

Research interest: Electrocardiology, Cardiogenetics, Sudden death prevention and risk stratification

Päivi Puranen

Clinical Nurse Educator, MHC, RN
Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

Board Member of the Finnish Association of Cardiovascular Nursing

Expertise, field in cardiology: Competence in Cardiovascular Nursing

Jukka Putaala

Neurologist, Associate Professor., MD, PhD, MSc
Helsinki University Hospital, Finland

Member of the Brain and Heart Council of the European Stroke Organisation

Expertise, field in cardiology: Stroke and vascular neurology

Research interest: Cardioembolic stroke, atrial fibrillation, stroke in the young

Pekka Raatikainen

Cardiologist, MD, PhD, FESC
Chief Physician, Director of Electrophysiology and Pacing
Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

In the past Dr Raatikainen has worked as Professor of Cardiology at the University of Tampere and Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Eastern Finland. He has held a number of positions of trust in the Finnish Cardiac Society, ESC, EHRA and UEMS Cardiology Section. He is currently member of the ESC Membership Committee and FESC Task Force, and Treasurer of the UEMS Cardiology Section

Expertise, field in cardiology: Diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias

Research interest: Atrial and ventricular arrhythmias

Paula Risikko

Doctor of Health Sciences, Specialized registered nurse
Speaker of the Finnish Parliament
Parliament of Finland

Chairman of Board, Finnish Heart Association

Expertise, field in cardiology: The Effectiveness and Quality of Social and Health Services, Reform of Social and Health Services

Presentation of Paula Risikko

Dr Paula Risikko is the Speaker of the Parliament of Finland. She is a fourth-term Member of Parliament and has held four different ministerial portfolios. She joined Prime Minister Juha Sipilä’s Cabinet 2016-2018 as Minister of Interior and during the 2007–2011 term, she served as the Minister of Health and Social Services. In Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen’s Cabinet, Dr Risikko served as the Minister of Social Affairs and Health, and in Prime Minister Alexander Stubb’s Cabinet she was the Minister of Transport and Local Government.

Dr Risikko has held a number of positions of trust at national, regional and local level and in NGOs. She is Doctor of Health Sciences, a health care teacher and a specialized registered nurse by education. Dr Risikko has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Administrative Sciences by the University of Vaasa and an Honorary Doctorate in Medical Sciences by the University of Tampere. She has diverse experience of working in the health care sector and social welfare. She is currently on leave of absence from her post as Vice President of the Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences.

Tuomas Rissanen

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Chief of Heart Center
North Karelia Central Hospital, Joensuu, Finland

President of Finnish Working Group of EAPCI, Scientific Director of Heart2Save

Clinical expertise: Complex and CTO PCI, CRT, TAVI, Cardiac sarcoidosis

Research interests: PCI using drug-coated balloon, wearable ECG monitoring devices, sarcoidosis, molecular cardiology and gene therapy

Other interests: outdoor sports, reading

Essi Ryödi

Cardiologist, MD, FESC
Heart Hospital, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

President of the Finnish Cardiac Society, Chairperson of the NBCC2019 Organizing and Scientific Committee

Expertise, field in cardiology: Interventional Cardiology, Valvular diseases

Research interest: Cardiovascular consequences of endocrinological diseases

Other interests: enthusiastic about interventional cardiology and family life

Harri Saarinen

Cardiologist, MD
Heart Hospital, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

President of the Finnish Young Community

Expertise, field in cardiology: Clinical Electrophysiology

Research interest: Metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk factors

Antti Saraste

Cardiologist, Associate Professor, MD, PhD, FESC
Heart Center, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

Chairman, Working Group on cardiac imaging, Finnish Cardiac Society

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiac imaging

Research interest: Cardiac imaging

Evelina Šarkauskaitė

Registered nurse, Bachelor’s degree (postgraduate, studying Master’s degree)
Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Cardiac Anesthesia and Intensive Care unit; Kaunas, Lithuania

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiac surgery nursing

Research interest: Evidence based practice in intensive care nursing, cardiovascular advanced practice nursing

Other interests: Integration of advanced practice nursing in Lithuania tertiary health care centers of cardiac surgery.

Mikko Savontaus

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Heart Centre, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

Expertise, field in cardiology: Electrophysiology, Valvular heart disease

Research interest: Cardiovascular Gene Therapy, Valvular heart disease interventions

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Mona Schlyter

RN, PhD

Cardiac specialist nurse, Department of Cardiology, Malmö University Hospital SUS and teacher at Department of Nursing Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden

Emeritus Chair of the Swedish Council of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions, Member of the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare.

Expertise, field in cardiology: CCU and secondary prevention and rehabilitation.

Research interest : first of all secondary prevention and rehabilitation after MI and how we can improve this. I think this is very important.

Other interests: same as above and to work in my garden, and my grandchildren the are my darlings and very important for me.

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Morten Schou

Cardiologist, Associate Professor, MD, PhD
Director of Heart failure
Department of Cardiology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Interest: Heart failure, Cardiomyopathies, Cardio-Metabolic Research, Onco-Cardiology

Peter Schuster

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Head of tachyarrhytmia department at Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. Associate Professor University in Bergen, Bergen, Norway

Leader of the Norwegian Ablation registry (AblaNor). Leader of arrhythmia working group of the Norwegian Cardiology Society (NCS). Board member of West Norwegian Cardiology society. Editorial member of NCS journal (Hjerteforum)

Expertise, field in cardiology: Arrhythmia, ablation

Research interest: Ablation, Arrhythmia, Devices, Echocardiography

Juha Sinisalo

Professor of Cardiology
Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

Member of the MCQ Review Group ESC

Expertise, field in cardiology: Interventional Cardiology, Congenital Heart diseases

Research interest: Coronary artery disease, genetics, immunology

Tanja Skyttä

Oncologist, MD, PhD
Department of Oncology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

Board Member of the Finnish Oncological Society and Finnish Melanoma Group

Expertise, field in oncology: Radiotherapy

Research interest: Radiation-induced cardiotoxicity

Rimvydas Šlapikas

Professor, MD, PhD, FESC, FACC

Rimvydas Šlapikas is Professor of medicine at Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. He is a Cardiologist in the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences.

His main research areas are dyslipidaemia, hypertension and cardiovascular disease prevention.
The current field of his scientific research and interest is the assessment of the predictive value of novel biochemical markers and subclinical atherosclerosis in asymptomatic high-risk patients for future coronary events, targeting patients with the metabolic syndrome and severe familial hypercholesterolemia.
He is an author and co-author of more than 100 scientific publications in national and international journals.
Rimvydas Šlapikas was acting as investigator, principle investigator or national coordinator in over 50 clinical trials.

Professor Rimvydas Šlapikas is President of Lithuanian Society of Cardiology and the National Coordinator for ESC guidelines and cardiovascular prevention in Lithuania.

He has been an invited speaker and chairman in many international meetings including European Meetings on Hypertension and Dyslipidaemia, Nordic-Baltic Congresses of Cardiology and Baltic Atherosclerosis Congresses.

Signe Stelling Risom

Clinical Nurse Specialist & Associate Professor, RN, MHS, PhD.
The Heart Centre, University Hospital Copenhagen, Denmark & Institute of Nursing, University College Copenhagen, Denmark.

Member of the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing (CVSN) of the AHA and reviewer/grader for several years, member of the Program Committee for the European Association of Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions (ACNAP, under the European Society of Cardiology) since 2016. Chair of an interdisciplinary clinical guideline steering committee for patients with atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, endocarditis and heart valve surgery, sponsored by the Danish Health Authority.

Expertise, field in cardiology: Prevention and rehabilitation for patients with atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.

Research interest: Treatment and rehabilitation for patients with heart diseases – especially patients with atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.

Other interests (optional): Enthusiastic about complex cardiovascular medicine, cardiovascular nursing practice and education. Furthermore, development and implementation of guidelines in clinical practice.

Margrét Hrönn Svavarsdóttir

Associate Professor, RN, PhD.
University of Akureyri, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Nursing, Akureyri, Iceland

Member of Science Committee of ESC ACNAP.

Expertise, field in cardiology: Patient education and rehabilitation in cardiac care

Research interest: Patient education and health promotion, Cardiac nursing.

Marja-Riitta Taskinen

Emerita Professor of Medicine
Clinical and Molecular Metabolism Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki and Clinical Research Institute, HUCH Ltd., Helsinki, Finland

Group leader of Diabetes & Obesity, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki; Member of EAS/ESC Guideline committee on Management of dyslipidemias

Expertise, field in cardiology: Lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, Cardiovascular disease, Vascular health, NAFLD, Diabetes

Research interest: Lipoprotein kinetics in health and metabolic disorders including diabetes and dyslipidemias and genetics of familial dyslipidemias.

Other interests: Focus on the pathophysiology of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in the liver in health and disease, the pathophysiology of lipid disorders in diabetes, treatment of dyslipidemias and prevention of CVD.

Heli Tolppanen

MD
Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Hospital

Chairperson of the Finnish Cardiac Society Working Group on Heart Failure

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Suvi Tuohinen

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Heart and Lung Center, Helsinki University Hospital, Finland

Expertise, field in cardiology: Congenital heart diseases, Valvular diseases, Cardio-oncology, Imaging

Research interest: Cardio-oncology

Hasso Uuetoa

MD, Cardiologist, FESC
Private Healthcare Centre Confido, Tallinn, Estonia.
Gothenburg University Sahlgrenska Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden

Member of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA)

Expertise, field in cardiology: Electrophysiology, Pacing, Arrhythmias, Heart failure

Raimonda Verseckaite

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno Klinikos, Kaunas, Lithuania

Member of ESC Council on Valvular Heart Disease

Expertise, field in cardiology: Valvular heart diseases, Cardiovascular imaging, particularly on the use of echocardiography in cardiology

Research interest: Changes in left ventricular mechanics in the presence of valvular heart disease

Other interests: Passionate about cardiac imaging in interventional cardiology and operating room

Riina Vettus

Cardiologist, MD
Chief of 2nd Cardiology Department
North Estonia Medical Centre, Tallinn, Estonia

Leader of the Oncocardiology Working Group of Estonian Cardiology Society

Expertise, field in cardiology: General Cardiologist, Oncocardiologist

Research interest: Oncocardiology, Heart Failure

Other interests: Golf

Margus Viigimaa

MD, PhD, FESC, FACC
Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, North Estonia Medical Centre, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia

Expertise, field in cardiology: Hypertension, Dyslipidemia, CVD prevention, Telemedicine and E-health

Michael Vinther

Electrophysiologist, MD, PhD
Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

Chairman of the Arrhythmia working group, Danish Society of Cardiology.

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiac pacing, Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy, Ablation.

Research interest: HIS bundle pacing, ICD therapy, Cardiac conductive tissue physiology.

Other interests: Education of younger colleagues, Sports.

Marko Virtanen

Cardiologist, MD
Heart Hospital, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

Expertise, field in cardiology: Valvular heart diseases, Structural heart diseases, Interventional Cardiology

Research interest: Aortic Stenosis, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

Jens-Uwe Voigt

Cardiologist, MD, PhD
Professor of Cardiology
Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology; Member of the EACVI scientific committee, Honorary Member of the BSE

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiac imaging, Myocardial function

Research interest: Myocardial function assessment, High frame rate imaging, Shear wave imaging, Dyssynchrony assessment in CRT, and more …

Diana Žaliaduonytė-Pekšienė

Cardiologist, Associate Professor, MD, PhD
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Hospital, Kaunas, Lithuania

Member of the Heart Failure working group of Lithuania

Expertise, field in cardiology: Cardiac imaging, Heart failure

Research interest: Left ventricular remodeling, Heart failure

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Kristian Altern Øvrehus

Cardiologist, MD, PhD, Associate Professor
Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark

FESC, Scientific Secretary and Board member of the Danish Society of Cardiology

Expertise, field in cardiology: Imaging Cardiology, Valvular and Ischemic heart diseases

Research interest: Coronary CTA, Ischemic heart disease, Valvular heart disease