Heart Valve Replacement: Status, Translational Approaches, and Challenges

The heart valve replacement industry will be discussed as model for biomedical device innovation.  Incremental innovation will be compared to disruptive and paradigm-shifting innovation within the context of commercialization.  Development, innovation, and commercialization failures will be analyzed and discussed.

Frederick J. Schoen is Director of the BWH Biomedical Research Institute (BRI) Technology and Innovation Initiative and BWH liaison to (Site Miner for) the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT). He is also Professor of Pathology and Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School and Executive Vice-Chairman in the Department of Pathology at BWH. Schoen has leadership responsibilities in academic programs in the Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School and the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST) and is an active teacher/director of courses in pathology, cardiovascular pathology, biomaterials, tissue engineering, and medical device development at Harvard, MIT and the Harvard Catalyst.  Dr. Schoen’s research is in cardiovascular pathology, heart valve substitutes, biomaterials and tissue engineering. His activities entail considerable interaction with industry, technology transfer, venture capital and regulatory scientists and other non-academic personnel related to the furthering and translation of biomedical science.