Director, Bioscience Research and Development – Providence Health System, Oregon
Chair Holder, Albert Starr Academic Center for Cardiac Surgery
A world-renowned surgeon, scientist, inventor and teacher, Dr. Albert Starr received his medical training at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. After an internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and residencies at Bellevue and Presbyterian Hospitals in New York City, he was recruited to Oregon in 1957 to head a new heart surgery program at Oregon Health Sciences University. In 1964, he and his surgical team moved to Providence St. Vincent Medical Center and started what has become the largest heart surgery program in the western United States.
Through his surgical skills and his pioneering contributions to medical science, Dr. Starr has touched millions of lives throughout the world. He holds honorary degrees and awards from Columbia University, University of London, Reed College, Lewis and Clark College, the American College of Surgeons, and the American Heart Association, among others.
- In 1960, Dr. Starr co-invented and implanted the world's first successful artificial heart valve. Since then, he has contributed to innovations in the correction of congenital heart defects, refinements to coronary artery bypass surgery, pioneering use of the heart muscle wrap, and improvements in heart transplant surgery.
- He received the prestigious International Heart Pioneer award from the Societe de Chirurgie Thoracique Cardio-Vasculaire de Langue Francaise in July 2000.
- In 1998, Dr. Starr joined Dr. Alain Carpentier in Paris for one of the world's first computer-assisted robotic heart surgeries.
- Dr. Starr's outcomes studies of 20,000 patients over 40 years have helped enhance treatment and improve outcomes for patients all over the world.
- He has taught advanced surgical techniques to over 250 cardiac fellows from more than 25 countries.
"Our most important project right now is to develop computer-assisted, no-incision surgical techniques," says Dr. Starr. "We must develop this technology to the greatest possible extent, because the future benefits to patients could be enormous. In addition, we must continually work to improve our current methods, through outcomes research, and to assist in the globalization of medical learning and technology."