DR. FAWAZ AKHRAS MB BCh, MPhil, MD, FESC, FAHA, FACC

FAWAZ AKHRAS is the Chairman of the NAA Group and Medical Director of Cardiac and Medical Health Services and Consultant Cardiologist at the Cromwell Hospital in London. He completed his postgraduate studies at King College Hospital, University of London, where he also obtained his higher degree in Internal Medicine and Cardiology.

In 1992 during his post as Senior Lecturer in Cardiology at the Westminster and Charing Cross Hospitals - London, he was appointed Chief of Cardiology at King Fahd Military Hospital in Jeddah and was also selected to set up the regional cardiothoracic and cardiac interventional centre.

He developed the first cardiac interventional research programme in Syria, which has subsequently led to their integration into multi-centre European research studies. He is at present the principal investigator of the Syrian arm of an international study of 5,000 real world patients with coronary artery disease looking at the long-term results of the Paclitaxel Eluting Stent (IPES) in such patients.

Such achievements came on the backdrop of his extensive experience in clinical cardiac research. He has published a large number of research papers in peer-review international medical journals. He presented numerous lectures at both national and international scientific conferences. He is also known for his marked contribution to the development of the first physiological pacemaker, which is now widely used around the world in the treatment of patients with heart block.

He is the recipient of several awards in recognition of his personal contribution to clinical and scientific research in cardiology. He is a fellow of the European Society of Cardiology, the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, the British Cardiac Society, the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society and the British Society of Echocardiography. He is actively engaged in teaching and has strong interests in clinical research that bridge the basic and clinical sciences in cardiology. He is a member of the Order of William Harvey for Education in recognition of his commitment to education at the American College of Cardiology.

He is a founder member and Co Chairman of the British Syrian Society in London and Damascus. He is also a member of the Board of Advisor, Centre for Syrian Studies, St Andrews University, Edinburgh UK. He is a board member of the World Council of Syrian Expatriates.