Mount Sinai Health System’s globally acclaimed cardiologist Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, was named President of Mount Sinai Heart, a newly created position, effective January 1, 2023. He relinquished the title of Director as he transitions from day-to-day administrative leadership of Mount Sinai Heart into the new advisory position. Dr. Fuster continues in his roles as Physician-in-Chief of The Mount Sinai Hospital and as the Richard Gorlin, MD/Heart Research Foundation Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. After dedicating the last 28 years to building one of the world’s leading cardiovascular centers, Dr. Fuster continues to advance the clinical care, research, and innovative training at Mount Sinai Heart.

“Valentin Fuster has been the world’s leading cardiologist for decades, and as hyperbolic as that may seem, it is the reality. We have been blessed with his presence,” says Kenneth L. Davis, MD, Chief Executive Officer of the Mount Sinai Health System.

Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, a top expert in cardiovascular medicine and interventional cardiology, has been named Director of Mount Sinai Heart. Dr. Bhatt leads the educational, research, and clinical cardiovascular work of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Health System. He also serves as the Dr. Valentin Fuster Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, the first physician to hold this endowed professorship.

Dr. Bhatt comes to Mount Sinai from Brigham and Women’s Hospital Heart and Vascular Center, where he was Executive Director of Interventional Cardiovascular Programs, and Harvard Medical School, where he was Professor of Medicine. Previously, he served as Chief of Cardiology at VA Boston Healthcare from 2008 to 2013, and prior to that, he held a variety of leadership positions at Cleveland Clinic.

Dr. Bhatt is highly recognized for his breakthroughs in the field of cardiology, including interventional cardiology, heart disease prevention, vascular medicine, and heart failure. He led a trial that demonstrated the benefit of a potent intravenous antithrombotic drug during stenting, including significant reductions in stent clotting, which led to its Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency approvals.

His work has also resulted in the first FDA-approved drug, an omega-3 fatty acid prescription medication, to reduce cardiovascular risk among patients with elevated triglyceride levels already treated with statins. He also led the first trial to show a significant benefit of a medication, an SGLT2 inhibitor, in treating patients who have heart failure despite having normal heart muscle function, a major milestone in medicine. His work has also helped advance the understanding and treatment of patients with diabetes and obesity who have cardiovascular disease.

Samin K. Sharma, MD, has been named Director of the Mount Sinai Cardiovascular Clinical Institute. In this new role within Mount Sinai Heart, Dr. Sharma will further enhance clinical care, operations, innovation, education, and clinical research. “I am very thankful to the leadership of Mount Sinai for giving me the chance to further enhance the clinical operations and network of Mount Sinai Heart,” says Dr. Sharma.

Dr. Sharma is a world-renowned interventional cardiology expert who has made great contributions to Mount Sinai’s complex coronary care for more than three decades. He is highly respected for his clinical excellence, innovative research, and outstanding patient safety record for the treatment of heart attacks, blockages, and valvular disease.

Along with his new appointment, Dr. Sharma will maintain his various leadership positions within the Mount Sinai Health System. As Director of Interventional Cardiology, Dr. Sharma oversees all Health System catheterization laboratories to maintain the highest level of care. Dr. Sharma also serves as the Senior Vice President of Operations and Quality for Mount Sinai Heart, ensuring excellence in clinical cardiology services.