A Grand Tribute To A Pioneer In Electrophysiology

Dr.Andrea Natale MD, Editor-in-Chief


Dear Colleagues

We welcome you to the September issue of the Journal of Atrial Fibrillation. Hope you enjoyed the summer and getting ready for the flavors and colors of fall. The 7th annual edition of the Kansas City Heart Rhythm Symposium (KCHRS 2015) just got wrapped up in Kansas City. My special congratulations to our associate editor Dr. Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy and group for putting together another fabulous arrhythmia meeting that brought experts from far and wide to participate in this 2 day event. Over the years, the KU team has successfully transformed this meeting to a very popular regional education resource that draws attendees from all over the country. Kansas City in August is beautiful as always and quite a few electrophysiologists from around the world had the opportunity to enjoy the Midwestern hospitality. KCHRS 2015 brought state-of-the-art in electrophysiology while comprehensively covering the basics and providing an opportunity to enjoy the Barbecue and Royals.

Another important part of this meeting is their KU Pioneer in Cardiovascular Electrophysiology Award. This year Dr. Jeremy Ruskin, from Massachussets General Hospital has been recognized with this honor. Dr. Jeremy Ruskin is Founder and Director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at Massachusetts General Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Ruskin received his undergraduate degree summa cum laude from Tufts University in 1967 and his medical degree cum laude from Harvard Medical School in 1971. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston from 1971-1973 after which received his training in clinical cardiac electrophysiology at the USPHS Hospital in Staten Island, New York under the mentorship of Dr. Anthony Damato from 1973-1975. He then completed a clinic and research fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease at the Massachusetts General Hospital from 1975-1978.

Dr. Jeremy Ruskin Founder and Director , The Cardiac Arrhythmia Service, Massacsetts.



Soon after, Dr. Ruskin founded the MGH Cardiac Arrhythmia Service and Clinical Electrophysiology Laboratory, the first subspecialty service dedicated to the care of patients with cardiac arrhythmias in New England and one of the first in the United States. Since its inception, the MGH Cardiac Arrhythmia Service has been a leader in cutting edge clinical care, the training of future leaders in clinical cardiac electrophysiology, and research on the mechanisms of and innovative therapies for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. As founder and director of the MGH Fellowship training program in clinical cardiac electrophysiology in 1978, Dr. Ruskin has been responsible for the training and mentorship for more than 110 clinical and research fellows in the subspecialty of cardiac arrhythmias over the past 37 years, many of whom are in leadership positions at academic centers throughout the world. Dr. Ruskin serves as a member of the FDA Cardiovascular and Renal Drugs Advisory Committee for 5 years and as a consultant to the National Center for Health Services Research and Healthy Care Technology Assessment. For the past twenty five years, he has worked extensively on the scientific and regulatory aspects of medical device and drug development as wells as cardiovascular drug safety. In 1995, Dr. Ruskin founded the Annual International Atrial Fibrillation Symposium which he has directed since its inception and is the largest and longest running free-standing academic meeting on atrial fibrillation worldwide, now entering its twenty first year.

Dr. Ruskin’s major research interests include the mechanisms and management of atrial fibrillation, new antiarrhythmic drugs and innovative technologies for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation, the mechanisms and prevention of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death, risk stratification for sudden death, the proarrhythmic effects of cardiac and non-cardiac drugs and cardiac safety issues in new drug and device development. He is an author of more than 400 original scientific publications, chapters, reviews, guidelines and monographs. Dr. Ruskin also maintains an active regional, national and international referral practice in the field of cardiac arrhythmias and electrophysiology and is recognized annually in Best Doctors in America and Best Doctors in Boston. Dr. Ruskin is the recipient of the 1997 Michel Mirowski Award for Excellence in Clinical Cardiology and Electrophysiology and the 2002 Heart Rhythm Society Pioneer in Pacing and Electrophysiology Award. A special coverage of the meeting and all the talks will be accessible online in the Journal.

In this issue of the Journal we have exceptional original manuscripts, featured reviews and case reports covering a wide range of topics related to atrial arrhythmias.

We wish you a great thanksgiving and a happy holiday season

Andrea Natale MD, FACC, FHRS, FESC Editor-in-Chief JAFIB