Page 5 - CBAC Newsletter 2013

Last February, the field of cardiac electrophysiology lost one of its
giants and visionaries who influenced all of us: Professor Brian Hoff-
man (Columbia University, New York; 1925 - 2013). Professor Hoff-
man’s contributions are too numerous to describe here and I refer
the readers to an In Memoriam written by friends who were close to
Brian - Robert Myerburg, Michael Rosen, and Andrew Wit [Circ. Res.
2013; 112: 988 - 991, and Heart Rhythm 2013; 10: 465 - 468].
Professor Hoffman was a true pioneer who discovered, described and
defined new concepts at the cellular scale (automaticity, afterdepo-
larizations, triggered activity, to name a few). His work established
many of the mechanistic principles that provided the foundation for
the field of clinical cardiac electrophysiology as it is practiced today.
His book, written together with Paul F. Cranefield and published in
1960 under the title, The Electrophysiology of the Heart, has become
a classic, still consulted by many of us today.

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On the 30 and 31 of August, 2013, the Academic Medical Center in
Amsterdam hosted and organized a symosium on cardiac arrhythmias,
remembering Professor Denis Escande. Denis, a dear colleague and
friend, was the Director of the Institut du Thorax in Nantes, France.
Like Brian Hoffman, Denis was a visionary and a leader. The focus
of his work was the genetic basis of cardiac arrhythmias and sudden
death. His guidance and vision were clearly evident in the beautiful
work presented by many young (and not so young) scientists in the
Amsterdam Symposium.

So, on the shoulders of such giants, we continue to explore the myster-
ies of what makes the heart tick, and how it can be repaired when its
rhythm fails.

yoram rudy, Ph.d., F.a.h.a, F.h.r.S.
direCtor