Dr. Hugo Monteiro Neder Issa is a cardiac surgeon at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). He is also an assistant professor in the Division of Cardiac Surgery in the
Department of Surgery at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Issa received his medical degree with honors from the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in 2010. Afterward, he completed a residency in general surgery at the Clinics Hospital of the Federal University of Minas Gerais in 2013 and a residency in cardiovascular surgery at the Heart Institute
of the University of São Paulo in 2017. He obtained his board certification in 2017. Furthermore, he pursued extensive training in
North America at the Cleveland Clinic, Toronto General Hospital, BC Children's Hospital, and the UOHI. Dr. Issa has been conducting research in the field of adult and congenital cardiac surgery. He is interested in surgical approaches and treatment for coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, and congenital heart disease. He is also interested in less invasive operative techniques.
Dr. Thierry Mesana is a professor of cardiac surgery at the University of Ottawa. He is the past president and chief executive officer of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, having served in those roles from 2014 to 2024. He received his medical degree at the Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France, where he trained in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery. He received his Ph.D. in biophysics and biomechanics at the same university after extensive experimental work on artificial hearts and ventricular assist devices. Dr. Mesana’s specialty interests include adult cardiac surgery, valvular heart disease, mitral valve repair, surgery of thoracic aorta and aortic dissection, and surgery of heart failure, including heart transplantation, ventricular assist devices, and cardiomyoplasty. He is recognized as one of the world’s leading heart valve surgeons, with a specific emphasis on mitral valve repair. His leadership led to significant changes in the Division of Cardiac Surgery at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, with the rapid development of complex and innovative mitral valve repair techniques in degenerative or ischemic disease, and the development of surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation. He has also strongly supported and contributed to research in myocardial regeneration and endothelial stem cells.
Dr. Vincent Chan is a Cardiac Surgeon and Fellowship Program Director at the University of Ottawa Heart
Institute. He also serves as Professor and Vice-Chair of Research in the Department of Surgery at the University of Ottawa. With a strong commitment to advancing the field, Dr. Chan has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed publications and is a leader of several prospective trials in cardiac surgery. His clinical expertise involves mitral valve surgery, including minimally invasive and catheter-based techniques, although his interests include cardiac transplantation, and coronary revascularization.
