Infective Endocarditis and Rheumatic Heart Disease Symposium

Speakers Include:

• More details about

  Professionals from Cardiology, Infectious Diseases, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Microbiology, Stroke Physicians, Pharmacists and more including:

• More details about Professor Greg M Scalia, Echocardiologist, Brisbane, AUS

  Professor Greg M Scalia, Echocardiologist, Brisbane, AUS

  SPEAKING TOPIC: Echo in Infective endocarditis – seeing is believing! Professor Gregory M Scalia AM MBBS (Hons), MMedSc, PhD, FRACP, FACC, FCSANZ, FASE, FESC, JP. Cardiologist • President ESANZ - The Echocardiography Society of Australia and New Zealand 2026 • Awarded Member of the Order of Australia by King Charles III for “Contributions to cardiology, as a clinician, academic and mentor”, June 2024 • Director of Echocardiography, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia with leadership involvement in the Structural Heart Program • Senior consultant cardiologist at AdvaraHeartCare, Wesley Hospital Brisbane. • Professor of Medicine, University of Queensland • Founder of ProTOE.org - Professional transoesopheal Echo training • President, Structural Heart Disease Australia 2016-current • Principle, Echo Australia Program 2002-current • Steering committee, National Echo Database of Australia (NEDA) • International guideline co-author for ASE/EACVI for Echo in Structural Interventions 2022, Mitral TEER 2026 • Extensive publishing (H-index 41, 130 papers) and clinical teaching at local, national, and international level • Supervisor of PhD and Masters’ students (University of Queensland and Griffith University), medical trainees and fellows. General practitioner training programs and teaching syllabus development.

• More details about Professor David Durack, Infectious Diseases, USA

  Professor David Durack, Infectious Diseases, USA

  Professor Durack is Consulting Professor of Medicine at Duke University, and was Senior Vice President, Corporate Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer at Becton Dickinson & Co. (retired 10/2012). Professor Durack commenced his illustrious career at The Correspondence School of West Australia and Scotch College, West Australia, achieving his medical degree at University of West Australia 1969. He left Australia as a Rhodes Scholar, Oxford University UK 1970-73, which resulted in a PhD in 1973 with a doctoral thesis entitled "Experimental Endocarditis". He completed his internship and residency at Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford and Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London. He then crossed the Atlantic to the USA where he was Chief Resident and Faculty member, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, ’74-’77. He became Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health and Professor of Medicine and Professor of Microbiology, Duke University, ’77-’94. It was during his time at Duke that he led the development of new more accurate criteria to describe endocarditis, the “Duke Criteria”. These criteria have been the backbone of almost every endocarditis research project since. Research interests: pathogenesis and chemotherapy of infective endocarditis and other bacterial, viral and fungal infections. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (UK), the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the American College of Physicians; he has published more than 230 articles and textbook chapters and co-edited several textbooks. Professor Durack has been elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation, the Council of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, the American Academy of Microbiology and the Council of the International Society for Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases (ISCVID). David is one of the founding members of ISCVID. He has served on an FDA Review Panel, a Veterans Affairs Review Panel, the Joint Commission Resources Board of Directors and as Chairman of the Board, ASM Resources. In addition to his clinical and research activities, he has 17 years’ experience as a senior executive in the medical devices and diagnostics industry, and currently provides consultation to medical technology companies. In addition to David’s global contribution to endocarditis from working in 3 continents, ACE is particularly cognisant that David grew up on a remote property in outback Australia, long from any town of size, with early education remotely via radio (“school of the air”), and yet has accomplished so much! David has been very supportive of endocarditis activities in Australia, from being the key international speaker at the inaugural ieQ (infective endocarditis Queensland) endocarditis symposium at The Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane during October 2019, an event that led to the formation of ACE several years later. David was also an invited international speaker at the inaugural ACE endocarditis symposium at the same venue in October 2024. David best reflects the vision of ACE, international collaborations to improve outcomes in endocarditis.

• More details about Professor Vance Fowler, Infectious Diseases, USA

  Professor Vance Fowler, Infectious Diseases, USA

• More details about Dr Kylie Burns ACHD, Cardiac Imaging and Cardiologist, Brisbane, AUS

  Dr Kylie Burns ACHD, Cardiac Imaging and Cardiologist, Brisbane, AUS

  Dr Kylie Burns gained her FRACP (Cardiology) in 2013. She completed her fellowship in Adult Congenital Heart Disease at The Prince Charles Hospital, followed by a fellowship in Cardiac Imaging at The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, during which time she gained extensive experience in obstetric cardiology. Dr Burns works as an Adult Congenital Heart Disease Specialist at The Prince Charles Hospital and Obstetric Cardiologist at the Royal Brisbane and Woman's Hospital.

• More details about Dr Anna Model, Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases Specialist, TIMOR-LESTE

  Dr Anna Model, Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases Specialist, TIMOR-LESTE

  "I am an Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases specialist, trained in Spain, with extensive experience working in low- and middle-income country (LMIC) settings. After obtaining the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in 2019, I joined the Brain Infections Global (BIGlobal) group at the University of Liverpool as a clinical researcher in Brazil, contributing to a multicentre study aimed at improving the diagnosis and management of central nervous system infections. In 2023, I volunteered as an ID physician in a rural area of Uganda. Motivated to continue working in LMIC contexts, I relocated to Timor-Leste in 2024, where I joined Menzies under the Fleming Fund Country Grant. My work focused on antimicrobial resistance, contributing to strengthening surveillance systems and clinical capacity in the country. In collaboration with a cardiologist from the National Hospital (HNGV) in Dili, we also established a national registry to document cases of infective endocarditis in Timor-Leste".

• More details about Extraordinary Professor Carlos-A. Mestres, Dep of Cardiothoracic Surgery & the Robert Frater Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, SOUTH AFRICA

  Extraordinary Professor Carlos-A. Mestres, Dep of Cardiothoracic Surgery & the Robert Frater Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, SOUTH AFRICA

  MD PhD FETCS - Extraordinary Professor, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and the Robert Frater Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa - Senior Consultant University Hospital Zürich (2017- 2021) - Staff Surgeon Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (2014-2017) - Consultant Hospital Clinic University of Barcelona (1985-2014) Interests - Cardiovascular infectious and diseases of the aorta - Development of the Barcelona Endocarditis Working Group (1979), Hospital Clinic - Barcelona Tissue Bank (1989) - Development of the Endocarditis Board University Hospital Zürich (2017) Teaching - Trained residents Cardiovascular/Thoracic Surgery since 1990 - Spanish Cardiovascular Council Member (1997-2006) - European Board of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons (2005-2018) - Examiner/implementation of the EBTCS Critical Care Examination (March 2024 -…) Posts - Foreign Teaching Fellow, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery National University of Singapore, Singapore (1990-1991) - Visiting Professor Third Teaching Hospital Beijing Medical University, Beijing, PRC (1993-1994) - Visiting Professor Tajoura National Heart Centre, Tripoli, Libya (2006-2010) - Honorary Visiting Clinical Professor of Cardiac Surgery, Shahid Rajaie Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Institute, Tehran, Iran (2024- …) Academics - 425 publications (h-index 67, i10-index 210)

• More details about Professor Pierre Tattevin, Infectious Diseases Physician, FRANCE

  Professor Pierre Tattevin, Infectious Diseases Physician, FRANCE

  Infectious diseases physician and academic leader with 25+ years of experience in clinical care, research, teaching, and international programme development. Professor of Infectious Diseases and Head of Department at a 1,500-bed university hospital in France. Former President of the French Society of Infectious Diseases (FSID, 2018-2022) and Chair of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics (APUA, 2019-2025). Extensive experience in severe infectious diseases, primarily cardiovascular and central nervous system infections. Author of >650 publications (H-index 61).

• More details about MD, A/Professor Abdallah El Sabbagh, Medicine & Interventional & Structural Cardiologist Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA

  MD, A/Professor Abdallah El Sabbagh, Medicine & Interventional & Structural Cardiologist Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA

  Abdallah El Sabbagh, MD is an associate professor of medicine and an interventional and structural cardiologist at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, with clinical and research interests in structural heart disease and transcatheter therapies. His academic work centers on advancing catheter-based therapies for infective endocarditis, with a particular focus on percutaneous mechanical aspiration. He led the multicenter CLEAR-IE Registry and serves as the National Principal Investigator of an ongoing early feasibility trial in this field.

• More details about Professor David McGiffin, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Melbourne, AUS

  Professor David McGiffin, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Melbourne, AUS

  MBBS, FRACS, DMedHS, Current appointments: Senior Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Transplantation, The Alfred Hospital, (now retired from clinical practice) and Professor of cardiothoracic surgery, Monash University, Melbourne Australia. Previously, Director, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Transplantation, The Alfred from 2013-2021. Prior to that appointment, I was Professor of CT Surgery at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA for 20 years. My clinical activities were adult cardiac surgery, pulmonary endarterectomy, adult heart transplantation, mechanical circulatory support, adult and pediatric lung transplantation. Research: Since 2013 my major research interests have been donor heart perfusion and VAD driveline infection pathology and mitigation.

• More details about Dr William Naughton, Infectious Diseases and General Med Physician, AUS

  Dr William Naughton, Infectious Diseases and General Med Physician, AUS

  William Naughton is a Palawa man from lutruwita / Tasmania who has enjoyed the opportunity to live and work on beautiful Arrernte country since he first arrived in 2018. He is an Infectious Diseases and General Medicine physician with a keen interest in education, quality improvement and bettering the care of those affected by infectious diseases.

• More details about Dr Angus Lane, Infectious Diseases & Internal Medicine Advanced Trainee, Brisbane, AUS

  Dr Angus Lane, Infectious Diseases & Internal Medicine Advanced Trainee, Brisbane, AUS

  Dr Angus Lane is an infectious diseases and internal medicine advanced trainee at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, and is the Chief Medical Registrar for 2026. His academic interests include non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease, invasive fungal infections, endocarditis, and medical education. Angus recently returned from the San Raffaele Institute in Milan, where he explored the role of genomics in mycobacterial diagnosis and contact tracing. He brings a patient centred approach to his clinical work, is passionate about equitable care, and is committed to improving outcomes for marginalised populations and priority treatment groups.

• More details about Dr Claudia Natalicia Magno, Cardiologist and Lecturer, TIMOR-LESTE

  Dr Claudia Natalicia Magno, Cardiologist and Lecturer, TIMOR-LESTE

  I am a cardiologist at Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares (HNGV) in Dili, Timor-Leste, and a Lecturer in the Postgraduate Family Medicine Program at the National University of Timor-Leste. After completing my medical degree at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China, I worked as a general practitioner at HNGV before undertaking specialist training in Cardiology at Nanjing Medical University, China. Since returning to Timor-Leste in 2021, I have been dedicated to strengthening cardiovascular care through clinical practice, medical education, research, and health system development. My work focuses on rheumatic heart disease, infective endocarditis, heart failure, and coronary artery disease, with a particular interest in improving access to specialist cardiac care in resource-limited settings. I have led and collaborated on several national initiatives, including establishing Timor-Leste's first Infective Endocarditis Registry, developing national rheumatic heart disease guidelines and cardiovascular strategies, and strengthening cardiac data systems and clinical training through international collaborations. I am passionate about advancing cardiovascular care and building sustainable cardiac services in low and middle-income countries.

• More details about Professor Adrien Lemaignen, Infectious Disease Specialist, FRANCE

  Professor Adrien Lemaignen, Infectious Disease Specialist, FRANCE

  Professor Adrien Lemaignen is a French Infectious Diseases specialist, Head of the Infectious Diseases Department at University Hospital of Tours. His clinical work and research focus on the epidemiology and treatment of complex infections due to Gram-positive cocci, particularly bone and joint infections and infective endocarditis.

• More details about Dr Amna Alhakak, DENMARK

  Dr Amna Alhakak, DENMARK

  Dr. Amna Alhakak is a medical doctor and PhD fellow at the Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet. Her research focuses on the epidemiology, management, and outcomes of infective endocarditis, cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED)-related infections, and valvular heart disease. She has published nationwide registry studies, including studies based on the National Danish Endocarditis Study (NIDUS) registry, in leading cardiovascular journals, including the European Heart Journal and Europace. She plays a central role in the CIEDOUT trial, the first randomized clinical trial evaluating the optimal management of patients with possible CIED infection. She has also secured competitive research funding from public and private research foundations. Her research has been presented at international congresses, including the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress and the International Society for Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases (ISCVID) meeting. At the ISCVID meeting, she was awarded the G. Ralph Corey Award for the best epidemiological study.

• More details about Dr Hilary Hardefeldt, AUS

  Dr Hilary Hardefeldt, AUS

  Hilary is a paediatric cardiologist and clinician-researcher based in Darwin. Her clinical and research interests focus on paediatric cardiology in First Nations communities, and acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, with particular interests in echocardiography, screening, and clinical trials aimed at improving the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of RHD.

• More details about Dr Inès Emilia Angoran Regnier, COTE D'IVOIRE

  Dr Inès Emilia Angoran Regnier, COTE D'IVOIRE

  Dr Inès Emilia Angoran Regnier is a cardiologist and infectious disease specialist, serving as a clinician and teacher-researcher in Côte d'Ivoire. Based at the Institute of Cardiology of Abidjan (ICA), her clinical work and academic research focus on cardiovascular imaging and complex cardiovascular infections, with a particular emphasis on the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of infective endocarditis in Sub-Saharan Africa.

• More details about Dr. José M. Miró, SPAIN

  Dr. José M. Miró, SPAIN

  Dr. José M. Miró is Senior Consultant of Infectious Diseases at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Professor of Medicine, and Director of the Master on HIV/AIDS at the University of Barcelona. Dr. Miro is Infective Endocarditis Group leader at IDIBAPS and HIV/AIDS Group leader of CIBERINFEC. Dr. Miro is IDSA and ESCMID Fellow, RAMC Academician and current President of the International Society for Cardiovascular Infectious Diseases (ISCVID; https://www.iscvid.org/). His research fields focus on infective endocarditis (including experimental models), HIV/AIDS and solid organ transplantation in patients living with HIV. He has more than 1,000 peer-reviewed publications and an h-index of 101.