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Akshay S. Desai, MD, MPH, Joins Dan Burkhoff, MD, PhD, as Program Director of THT^®

NEW YORK – September 18, 2026 – The Cardiovascular Research Foundation^® (CRF^®) today announced that Akshay S. Desai, MD, MPH, a globally recognized leader in heart failure and cardiovascular medicine, has been appointed Program Director of Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics^® (THT^®). Dr. Desai will serve alongside Daniel Burkhoff, MD, PhD, providing strategic and scientific leadership for the meeting as CRF continues to expand its commitment to heart failure education and innovation.

The appointment marks an important milestone in CRF's broader vision to strengthen its educational portfolio through exceptional physician leadership, interdisciplinary collaboration, and programs that address the evolving needs of the cardiovascular community.

THT has emerged as the world’s premier innovation forum for heart failure specialists, interventional and structural cardiologists, imagers, surgeons, innovators, and industry leaders, bringing together groundbreaking science and transformative technologies that are reshaping patient care. With heart failure rapidly becoming one of the most dynamic and innovative areas in cardiovascular medicine, CRF is making strategic investments to further grow the program and expand its broader heart failure initiatives.

"Expanding CRF's leadership in heart failure is a key strategic priority, and Akshay's appointment reflects that commitment," said Juan F. Granada, MD, President and CEO of CRF. "His clinical expertise and educational vision will strengthen THT and help advance our mission to improve patient care through innovation, research, and education."

"Akshay has been at the forefront of many of the biggest advances in heart failure care," said Martin B. Leon, MD, Executive Chairman, Research, Education & the Leon Center for Transformative Innovation at CRF. "His leadership will help ensure that THT remains the premier forum for translating that innovation into practice, further expanding CRF's impact in heart failure education."

An internationally recognized clinician-scientist, Dr. Desai is Director for Heart Failure Population Health within the Mass General Brigham Heart and Vascular Institute and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Through his leadership in clinical research, guideline development, and evidence-based heart failure care, he has become one of the field’s most respected voices.

A graduate of Princeton University, Oxford University (Rhodes Scholar), and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Desai completed his cardiology and advanced heart failure training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and earned an MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health. He currently divides his time between the care of patients with advanced heart disease and clinical research, with a particular focus on pathophysiology, pharmacologic treatment, and ambulatory management of heart failure. Dr. Desai has also recently been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA).

"I am honored to join Dan and the CRF team in this role," said Dr. Desai. "THT has built a unique reputation for bringing together diverse perspectives from across the heart failure ecosystem, fostering meaningful dialogue between clinicians, researchers, innovators, and industry leaders. Heart failure care is advancing at a remarkable pace, and I look forward to helping expand the meeting's impact while supporting CRF's growing commitment to education, innovation, and improved patient outcomes."

“THT has always focused on identifying the ideas, technologies, and therapies that will define the future of heart failure care," said Daniel Burkhoff, MD, PhD, Director, Heart Failure, Hemodynamics and MCS Research at the CRF Clinical Trials Center, who has been instrumental in establishing THT as a leading destination for heart failure innovation and education. "Akshay has been part of our planning team, alongside 13 other leading heart failure experts, for several years. We're thrilled that he has agreed to take on an expanded role, bringing his scientific rigor, clinical insight, and relationships across the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, areas where we're eager to deepen our engagement. Together, we share a vision for an even more dynamic and impactful THT that inspires clinicians, innovators, and industry to develop the technologies patients need. Akshay’s leadership roles at CRF and HFSA also create a natural opportunity for our organizations to work more closely together in advancing our shared mission.”

While Dr. Desai’s immediate focus will be helping to lead THT, he will also be an integral part of CRF’s broader heart failure strategy, supporting the continued growth of its educational offerings and the development of new initiatives for the field.

The next edition of THT will take place February 22-24, 2027, in Boston, Massachusetts and will continue its tradition of delivering cutting-edge science, practical education, and multidisciplinary collaboration focused on the technologies, therapies, and discoveries shaping the future of heart failure care.