2.	Cardiac transplantation, cardiomyoplasty, myocardial preservation, artificial heart and circulatory sciences
	Transplantation Program The cardiothoracic transplant program is one of the first six heart-transplant centers in the United States. This program has now performed more than 600 heart transplants. The program has one of the best survival rates in the world, and has gained international recognition for its innovations in patient care. The unit has been designated as one of only a few centers in the nations authorized to receive Medicare funds for heart transplants. Such extraordinary success has been achieved largely through the close and continuous communications among surgeons, medical colleague, and researchers.
	Artificial Heart Program This program was the first in the United States to receive Food and Drug Administration approval for the clinical use of the artificial heart as a bridge to cardiac transplantation. Our artificial heart program has been recognized as one of the best in the world, and has logged more patient hours on the total artificial heart than any other program in the world. In addition to the total artificial heart, this group also implants left ventricular assist devices, and bi-ventricular assist devices (which are used to assist a failing heart rather than replacing it) as a bridge to transplant. Recent work has focused on the use of artificial hearts and left ventricular assist devices as "destination' or permanent therapy rather that as a 'bridge' to cardiac transplantation.
	Circulatory Sciences Graduate Perfusion Education Program Our graduate Circulatory Sciences Program was the first graduate program for the education of students in the area of artificial heart and lung technology. This program has served as a model for numerous university-based programs in the United States and is ranked as the best program in the United States of its type. A perfusionist is someone who is skilled in the technical operation of life sustaining equipment, like the cardiopulmonary bypass pump, that is used during open-heart surgery. The members of this division serve not only as clinical instructors for perfusion, but also hands on instructors and research mentors for the perfusion graduate students.
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