Edmonton – Dr. Eduardo Marbán, a pioneering American cardiologist, will receive the Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (CIHR-ICRH) Distinguished Lecture and Prize Award.

In June 2009, Dr. Marbán and his team at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles completed the world’s first procedure in which a patient’s own heart tissue was used to grow stem cells. These cells were then injected back into the patient’s damaged heart to repair and grow healthy muscle.

“I am delighted and honoured to accept this CIHR Prize on behalf of the dedicated team of researchers, physicians and scientists that I have worked with over many years,” said Dr. Eduardo Marbán, holder of The Mark Siegel Family Foundation Endowed Chair and Director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute. “The concept of cardiac regeneration is relatively new and yet rapidly-evolving. Treating a heart attack patient with the patient’s own cardiac stem cells is an exciting development. If the trials are successful, this procedure could provide additional options for patients all over the world.”

“We are very proud to offer this CIHR Prize to such a distinguished researcher as Dr. Marban, who is blazing a new trail in cardiovascular sciences,” said Dr. Peter Liu, Scientific Director of CIHR-ICRH. “Dr. Marbán’s earlier research into how the heart’s electrical system works was seminal, and now his new research on how one can accelerate the healing of damaged hearts with stem cells is just as astounding. This research offers so many new possibilities for patients with major heart attacks, heart failure and stroke. With heart disease being the leading cause of death in Canada, Dr. Marbán’s research may fundamentally change how we approach these conditions.”

Each year, winners of the prestigious CIHR-ICRH Distinguished Lecture and Prize Award deliver a major presentation at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, one of Canada’s largest medical gatherings.

Dr. Marbán will talk about his ground breaking research, how his findings have led to greater understanding of stem cells for cardiac regeneration, and how the technique may lead new ways to repair damaged hearts.

Dr. Marbán’s work is funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.