Louisville becomes a hub for cardiovascular medicine as international conference comes to town

This September 10-12, Louisville will take center stage in cardiovascular science as the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences-North American Section (IACS – NAS) and the University of Louisville Division of Cardiovascular Medicine host the organization’s  13th annual conference.  

For three days, the Galt House will bring together leading cardiovascular scientists, clinicians, trainees and students from across the world. For the University of Louisville School of Medicine, the conference represents an opportunity to strengthen the community by advancing cardiovascular medicine, and to put UofL learners and researchers at the heart of that conversation. 

“This will be the largest and best cardiovascular meeting held in Louisville in the past 25 years!” said Roberto Bolli, professor of medicine, director of the Institute of Molecular Cardiology and conference co-chair alongside colleague Dinesh Kalra, chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine. 

The timing is particularly meaningful. This year marks 25 years since a UofL surgical team placed the world’s first fully implantable total artificial heart in a patient at Jewish Hospital. UofL School of Medicine faculty led the team that implanted the first AbioCor total artificial heart as well as the preclinical and clinical research teams that were integral to the device’s development and testing. 

That milestone became a building block for continued biomedical advancement at UofL and UofL Health. In the quarter century since, researchers have continued to lead the development and testing of mechanical circulatory support devices, building on a tradition of translating cardiovascular research into new possibilities for patients. In addition, UofL researchers have pioneered the use of adult stem cells to treat heart failure, bringing UofL to the forefront of this new therapy by conducting extensive preclinical work and by leading pivotal NIH-funded multicenter trials such as CONCERT-HF and SENECA and currently the DoD-funded CATO trial, the first study of intravenous stem cell therapy for heart disease, which could revolutionize the management of heart failure and offer new hope to millions of patients.  

The IACS-NAS conference provides an opportunity to celebrate that history while looking toward what comes next. 

IACS meetings are known worldwide for something you don’t always find at science conferences: exquisite collegiality and unique warmth. Alongside presentations highlighting advances in cardiovascular research and care, the meeting creates opportunities for mentorship, networking, recognition and career development, helping the next generation of scientists and clinicians build relationships lasting beyond the conference. 

Hosting this conference in Louisville is a point of pride for the university, the School of Medicine and the city itself. It showcases Louisville as a hub for cardiovascular innovation on a national and international stage. It’s an opportunity for our faculty, fellows, residents and students to showcase their work in front of world leaders in cardiovascular medicine and research. 

The 2026 IACS-NAS conference will feature 22 scientific sessions covering both pre-clinical and clinical cardiovascular topics, with presentations from distinguished cardiologists and cardiovascular researchers. The program will explore a broad range of topics, including heart failure, inflammation, metabolism, epigenetics, cardiac repair and regeneration and other emerging areas of cardiovascular science and therapy. The conference will also feature state-of-the-art lectures, keynote lectures, an NIH symposium, the Roberto Bolli, MD Distinguished Young Scientist Award, the Buddhadeb Dawn Graduate Student Award and the Morris Karmazyn and Margaret Moffat Poster Awards. For physicians and nurses, the conference offers opportunities for continuing education through its CME-accredited program, which includes 16.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits for physicians and 19.2 continuing education credits for nurses.  

UofL and UofL Health employees can receive a 60% discount on registration with promo code UofL600. The deadline to register is September 1, 2026. 

As Louisville celebrates decades of cutting edge stem cell research and marks 25 years since a UofL team helped make cardiovascular history, the city will once again welcome the people pushing the field forward to create opportunity that honors how far cardiovascular medicine has come. The School of Medicine looks forward to welcoming cardiovascular colleagues from around the world to Louisville next month to learn from others, share discoveries and strengthen the community working to advance cardiovascular health.