Joseph Bavaria
Victor Chang Memorial Lecture: A lifetime's work
Dr. Joseph Bavaria is currently the Brooke Roberts-William M. Measey Professor of Surgery and Vice-Chief, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He is Director of the Thoracic Aortic Surgery Program at PENN which is a multidisciplinary program encompassing all aspects of aortic disease including thoracic aortic reconstruction and Marfan’s Syndrome. His primary interests include thoracic aortic surgery and more broadly, Cardio-Aortic surgery. This includes aortic dissection, aortic root and ascending aortic reconstruction, aortic arch surgery and the circulation management necessary for successful aortic arch clinical outcomes. Additionally, Dr. Bavaria's clinical interests include thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm surgery and one of the world’s busiest programs in the new field of thoracic aortic endovascular stent grafting.
Dr. Bavaria's thoracic aortic surgery program at the University of Pennsylvania presently performs over 400 reconstructive procedures a year and manages over 2,500 patients a year in the Thoracic Aortic Disease Clinic. Basic research is presently ongoing in the microbiology and pathology of the aortic wall in bicuspid aortic valve disease as well as neuro-cerebral metabolism and brain protection during cardio-aortic surgery.
Dr. Bavaria's other clinical interests include valvular heart surgery and is the Primary Investigator at PENN for the ongoing transcatheter aortic valve trials. He leads an active cardio-aortic clinical research group and is both the institutional and national primary investigator in over 20 industry sponsored, FDA IDE Phase I, II, and III trials as well as ongoing NIH funding.
Dr. Bavaria graduated with honors in chemical engineering at Tulane University where he also received his medical degree. He was awarded the gold scalpel, the highest surgical honor for a graduating Tulane medical student. He completed his general surgery and cardiothoracic training at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).