The Heart Rhythm Society recognized its distinguished awardees, inducted the newest Fellows of the Heart Rhythm Society and officially began the 29th Annual Scientific Sessions, Heart Rhythm 2008 with the Openary Plenary.

Opening Plenary Session and Awards Presentation

Featuring Keynote Speaker Elizabeth Nabel, MD,
Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH

Wednesday, May 14 — 4:15 - 5:45 p.m. Moscone Center

Elizabeth Nabel, MD, Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH was the keynote speaker for the Opening Plenary, kicking off Heart Rhythm 2008.

The official kick-off of Heart Rhythm 2008 included:

• Keynote Speaker: Elizabeth Nabel, MD, Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH
• Bruce Lindsay, MD, FHRS, Heart Rhythm Society President, reflecting on the Society’s accomplishments
• Richard L. Page, MD, Chair, Scientific Sessions Program Committee, providing insights on making the most of your Heart Rhythm 2008 experience
• Awards presentations honoring the Heart Rhythm Society’s distinguished awardees
• Induction ceremony for the newest Fellows of the Heart Rhythm Society (FHRS)

Dr. Nabel discussed the issues she believes will affect the future of medical practice and patient care during the opening plenary session. Heart Rhythm 2008 attendees were fortunate to have this unique opportunity to learn from one of the leading figures in cardiology, with extensive clinical experience and well known for her research accomplishments in vascular biology and molecular cardiology.

The Featured Poster Session and Reception followed immediately after the opening plenary.

More on Dr. Nabel
Elizabeth Nabel, MD, Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH, currently oversees an extensive national research portfolio of basic and clinical research to prevent, diagnose, and treat heart, lung, and blood diseases and has long championed the concept “from bench to bedside,” which is reflected in her work that intertwines basic research and translational to clinical medicine. She made seminal discoveries regarding genetic therapies for cardiovascular diseases that were instrumental in designing device therapies, in combination with genes or drugs, to treat the vascular disease restenosis.

The Opening Plenary was supported by an unrestricted educational grant from
Medtronic, Inc.