Yannick Taverne

Associate professor Yannick Taverne started his studies in Belgium as a master in physical therapy and rehabilitation sciences with further specialization in evolutionary and comparative cardiac morphology. He continued his studies in medicine with an additional master in clinical epidemiology in Rotterdam, where he also completed his PhD and training in cardiothoracic surgery with further specialization in congenital cardiac surgery. He currently works as a pediatric and adult congenital cardiothoracic surgeon at the department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. His surgical focus encompasses minimally invasive (pediatric) procedures, cardiac transplantation including ex-situ heart perfusion, and Ross surgery.  Next to that, he manages the Translational Cardiac Surgery Research lab where he has built a novel biomimetic research platform that allows to study excitation-contraction coupling from cell to whole organ in real-time. Current projects include right ventricular form and function in congenital heart disease, ex-situ heart perfusion and living myocardial slices in a biomimetic culture system. Furthermore, he co-created the first Knowledge Institute for Bioelectric Medicine that brings together experts in the field with focus on cardiac modulation and the development of novel bio-integrated therapies and feedback mechanisms.