Texas Heart Institute Welcomes New Leadership

HOUSTON (April 25, 2006)  The Texas Heart Institute recently held a reception to formally welcome Drs. Joseph S. Coselli and Douglas Mann to new leadership positions.

Dr. Coselli, professor and chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, was appointed chief of adult cardiac surgery at Texas Heart Institute (THI) and chief of the adult cardiac surgery section and associate chief of the cardiovascular service at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital. He will remain chief of the division of cardiothoracic surgery as well as director of the Thoracic Surgery Residency Program at Baylor. He also directs The Aortic Surgery Clinic and Research Foundation, a collaborative effort of the three institutions to advance research, education and patient care in the field of cardiothoracic surgery.

“The combined resources of St. Luke’s, Baylor, the Texas Heart Institute and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston create a powerful and compelling alliance. THI has a legacy of innovation and a bright future. The opportunity to work with Dr. Cooley and the team he’s built is phenomenal. He continues to be an inspiration for advances in cardiovascular medicine,” said Dr. Coselli.

Dr. Mann was appointed the new chief of cardiology at the Texas Heart Institute and St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital. Dr. Mann is the chief of cardiology and the Don W. Chapman Chair and Professor of Medicine and Molecular Physiology and Biophysics at Baylor College of Medicine and Director of the Winters Center for Heart Failure Research.

“I am truly honored to be named as chief of cardiology at the Texas Heart Institute, as well as to be able to follow in the footsteps of Dr. James T. Willerson.  I think we have a unique opportunity to combine the strengths of the Texas Heart Institute with those of Baylor College of Medicine, in order to build one of the pre-eminent programs in the country in terms of clinical training, research and patient care.  I look forward to working with the private cardiologists and surgeons in the Texas Heart Institute and the Baylor faculty to achieve these goals over the coming years,” said Dr. Mann.

“We are excited to have these exceptional physicians in leadership positions here. They are not only outstanding doctors but dedicated scientists and educators as well. They will greatly enhance our commitment to excellence in research, education and patient care,” said James Willerson, M.D., president-elect and medical director of THI and president of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

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World-renowned cardiovascular surgeon Denton A. Cooley, MD, founded the Texas Heart Institute in 1962 for the study and treatment of diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Together with the Institute's clinical partner, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, for the past 15 years it has been ranked among the nation's top ten heart centers in an annual survey published by U.S. News & World Report. For more information about the Institute, please visit www.texasheart.org.