Faculty of THT 2026

Interventional cardiologist and specialist in angiology. Professor of cardiology at Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland. Director of the regional Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (POZ-PERT) and author of national recommendations on the organization and functioning of PERTs in Poland.

His clinical and research interests include invasive treatment of acute coronary syndromes; structural heart interventions including TAVI, ASD/PFO closure, and left atrial appendage closure; treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, including pharmacotherapy and invasive management of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (balloon pulmonary angioplasty); and catheter-directed therapies for acute pulmonary embolism.

He is a member of the Polish Society of Cardiology, the Association of Cardiovascular Interventions of the Polish Society of Cardiology, the European Society of Cardiology, and the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI). He is the author and co-author of over 200 papers published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Interventional cardiologist – coronary and structural interventions.

Interventional cardiologist.

Deputy Director of Clinical Affairs, National Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland

President-Elect of the Association of Cardiovascular Interventions (ACVI) of the Polish Cardiac Society and Chair of the ACVI Working Group on TAVI.

Co-founder and co-director of the THT Poland Conference.

Interventional cardiologist with focus on valvular and structural interventions. President of the Association of CardioVascular Interventions of the Polish Cardiac Society.

Cardiac surgeon and coordinator of the “heart team” at GCM Katowice. Focused on surgical and minimally invasive treatment of aortic disease. Performs TAVI via the common carotid artery in patients requiring alternative access.

Professional work associated with the invasive cardiology, intensive cardiac care and heart failure. Actively involved in the development of support for young interventional cardiologists. Steering Committee member of EAPCI Women Committee, member of EAPCI NIFYI Committee, HFA HoT Committee.

Interventional cardiologist

Focus on coronary, structural interventions and MCS

Interventional cardiologist specializing in coronary and structural interventions, with particular focus on aortic valve disease and atrioventricular valve disorders.

Expert in coronary calcified lesions and transcatheter aortic and mitral interventions.

Specialist in Internal Medicine and Cardiology.

A graduate of the Medical University of Warsaw and postgraduate studies in pulmonary circulation at the University of Bologna. He is currently affiliated with the European Health Centre in Otwock, where he serves as Head of the Department of Cardiology.

In the academic field, he holds the position of Vice-Rector for Scientific Affairs and Head of the Chair and Department of Pulmonary Circulation, Thromboembolic Diseases and Cardiology at the Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education (CMKP) in Warsaw.

His clinical expertise focuses particularly on the management of complex cases of pulmonary embolism, venous thromboembolism, right ventricular failure, and pulmonary hypertension.

He is a co-founder of the Interventional Pulmonary Embolism Treatment Centre (PERT-CELZAT) and a pioneer of balloon pulmonary angioplasty in Poland and Europe.

Interventional Cardiologist

Structural and Coronary Field

Dr Maksymilian Mielczarek after graduating from the Medical University of Szczecin, Poland in 2009, became a certified cardiologist in 2016 and a specialist in radiology and diagnostic imaging in 2023. Since 2016, Dr Mielczarek has served as an interventional cardiologist in University Clinical Center in Gdansk, Poland, contributing to programs in coronary artery disease, left atrial appendage occlusion, mechanical thrombectomy for acute pulmonary embolism and mechanical circulatory support. In 2023, he also assumed the role of cardiac imager in the computed coronary tomography angiography program. Dr Mielczarek earned a PhD in medical sciences in 2015, focusing on stem cell physiology in coronary artery disease. His current research interests include percutaneous coronary interventions, left atrial appendage occlusion, and coronary computed tomography angiography.

A certified clinical psychologist with more than 20 years of experience in cardiology, cardiac rehabilitation, and cardiac surgery. Expertise includes psychological care for patients with arrhythmia and heart failure. Regularly contributes to cardiology research and provides education to cardiologists and other health professionals regarding psychological aspects of patient care.

Interventional cardiologist and Director of the Center for Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery at the Polish-American Heart Clinics, American Heart of Poland S.A., in Bielsko-Biala. Director of the Medical Council of American Heart of Poland S.A., Head of the Department of Cardiology at the Academy of Silesia in Katowice.

In clinical practice, he performs coronary and structural heart interventions, with particular expertise in TAVI, left atrial appendage (LAA) closure, and PFO/ASD closure.

Focused on transcatheter valve interventions, minimally invasive cardiac surgery, advanced arterial revascularization, and the development and organization of specialized cardiac surgery centers.

The foundation of his professional career is the combination of clinical experience and interventional skills with the continuous pursuit of new knowledge through clinical research directly applicable to everyday patient care.

Dr. Pracoń’s scientific work has resulted in numerous publications in the most prestigious international cardiology journals, including NEJM, JACC, and Circulation.

In his clinical practice, Dr. Pracoń focuses primarily on patient qualification, performance of interventional cardiology procedures, and post-procedural care, covering both acute and chronic coronary syndromes and structural heart disease including TAVI, LAAC, and ASD/PFO closure.

Professor Bernard Prendergast is the Chair of Cardiology at Cleveland Clinic London and a Consultant Cardiologist at Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. He has been Honorary Secretary of the British Cardiovascular and Cardiovascular Intervention Societies and maintains research interests that focus on the field of heart valve disease and have resulted in publication of over 400 articles. He is a frequent lecturer on the international stage and is the Co-Chairman of PCR (the world’s largest education programme in interventional cardiology) and the principal Course Director of PCR London Valves (the world’s largest specialist meeting in valve intervention).

Cardiology trainee with a focus on interventional cardiology.

Interventional cardiologist

Focus on coronary, structural interventions and MCS

Current positions:

· Full professor, Poznan University of Medical Sciences

· Consultant cardiologist, HCP Medical Center Poznań, Poland

Area of expertise: mitral interventions, coronary interventions, myocardial regeneration

Dr. Radosław Smoczyński is a board-certified cardiac surgeon and Operating Block Coordinator at the Department of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantology, National Medical Institute of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration in Warsaw. He earned his PhD in Medical and Health Sciences in 2022 and is a member of the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery (ISMICS).

His clinical expertise focuses on advanced robotic and minimally invasive cardiac surgery. He is a certified da Vinci console surgeon (IRCAD) and performs robotic coronary artery bypass procedures, transcatheter aortic valve implantation (including alternative access), minimally invasive aortic, mitral and tricuspid valve surgery, as well as complex and high-risk cardiac operations, including emergency surgery for acute thoracic aortic dissection.

Expertise:

Chairwoman of the National Council for Cardiology since 2024.

Head of the Intensive Cardiac Therapy Department, Institute of Cardiology 1980–2019. Professor in the Intensive Cardiac Therapy Department – National Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, 2019-2021. Head of Valvular Heart Department in the Institute of Cardiology 2003–2010.

President of the Polish Cardiac Society – Presidency 2011–2013.

ESC activities:

ESC Nominating Committee member 2018-2020. ESC Acute Cardiac Care Association Board Member 2014–2018. Member of the Congress Programme Committee (CPC) for the ESC Congress 2017 & 2018. Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology since 2000.

Special area of interest and expertise:

intensive cardiac care, acute coronary syndrome, acute heart failure, anticoagulation, antiplatelet, antithrombotic therapy, atrial fibrillation, valvular heart diseases, infective endocarditis.

Author or co-author of more than 250 peer-reviewed papers (>200 in PubMed). Co-author of ESC Guidelines Valvular heart disease (2012), Acute and Chronic Heart Failure (2012).

Dr. Jakub Stępniewski is an interventional cardiologist at the Pulmonary Circulation Centre of the Jagiellonian University Medical College in the St. John Paul II Hospital in Krakow. His clinical practice focuses on pulmonary vascular diseases and right-heart structural interventions. He serves as the coordinator of the regional Pulmonary Embolism Response Team and leads the interventional programme for the treatment of acute pulmonary embolism. His primary clinical and research interests center on the role of PERT systems and advanced catheter-based therapies in improving quality of care and ensuring equitable access to contemporary treatment strategies for acute pulmonary embolism.

Cardiologist and imaging specialist at the National Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw, where he leads the Echocardiography Laboratory at the Clinic of Acquired Valve Diseases.

Experienced in the diagnosis and management of structural heart disease, with a particular focus on valvular pathology, heart failure, coronary disease, and rhythm disorders.

Expertise in advanced transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography, including imaging guidance for structural interventions.

Author and co-author of more than 40 scientific publications in echocardiography, TAVI, valve disease, and multimodality imaging.

Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC).

Interventional cardiologist from National Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw. His main clinical and research focus is TAVI and cardiac imaging, both invasive and non-invasive.