Rajamiyer Venkateswaran, M.D., M.S., professor in the UAB Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and chief of heart, mechanical circulatory support, and lung transplant, received the Lifetime International Fellowship Award from the Indian Association of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgeons (IACTS) at its 72nd annual conference in Mumbai, India.
The award recog
nizes international surgeons who have made sustained contributions to the advancement of cardiothoracic surgery through training, mentorship, and clinical innovation. Venkateswaran was honored for his role in developing heart and lung transplantation and mechanical circulatory support programs on an international scale.
His research has shaped how donor organs are managed and used. From 2003 to 2006, Venkateswaran led the largest prospective randomized clinical trial on heart and lung donors, a study that changed procurement protocols across the United Kingdom and helped increase the rate of heart donations procured nationally from 20% to more than 30%. He was also the fourth surgeon in the world to transplant a heart from a donation after circulatory death using an organ care system that restores the heart to a functioning state outside the body through normothermic machine perfusion (NMP). The utilization of NMP has since expanded the donor pool and created new opportunities for patients on transplant waiting lists.
“This award speaks to the global reach of Dr. Venkat's career. The fact that his peers across the world recognize his contributions tells you everything you need to know about the caliber of surgeon he is. We are proud to have him on our faculty,” said James Davies, M.D., director of the UAB Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery and holder of the John W. Kirklin Endowed Chair of Cardiovascular Surgery.
Venkateswaran joined UAB in February 2025 after nearly 28 years of surgical practice in the United Kingdom. He previously served as clinical director for cardiac surgery and transplantation at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Wythenshawe Hospital, where he oversaw two cardiac surgery units and directed a heart and lung transplantation program that performed 50 to 60 transplants per year. He also served as a consultant in cardiac surgery and heart and lung transplantation, the Honorary Clinical Chair at the University of Manchester, and the Chair of the Cardiothoracic Transplant Advisory Group (CTAG-UK).
About the Indian Association of Cardiothoracic Surgeons Annual Conference
The IACTS holds an annual conference that brings cardiothoracic surgeons together from around the world to share research, surgical techniques, and advancements across all subspecialties of cardiac and thoracic surgery. This year's meeting drew close to 2,000 attendees and took place February 26 – March 1, 2026, at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India.