Heart Institute appoints renowned surgeon and researcher to lead Division of Cardiac Surgery

September 18, 2023

OTTAWA, September 18, 2023 — The University of Ottawa Heart Institute is proud to announce that Dr. Pierre Voisine will be its next division head of cardiac surgery. Dr. Voisine succeeds Dr. Marc Ruel as of September 15, 2023.

“Dr. Voisine will lead our Division of Cardiac Surgery with great distinction, contributing to the world-class reputation for which the institute is known, while keeping patients and their families at the forefront of care and research,” said Dr. Thierry Mesana, president and CEO of the Heart Institute. “I extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Marc Ruel for his outstanding contribution to the Division of Cardiac Surgery. Our division has achieved exceptional outcomes in patient care and bolstered the Heart Institute’s global reputation for excellence and innovation under Dr. Ruel’s commendable leadership.”

Dr. Pierre Voisine graduated from medical training in 1996 and completed residency in cardiac surgery in 2002 at Université de Montréal. He then completed a two-year fellowship in translational research at Harvard University.

Dr. Voisine joined the cardiac surgery team at the Quebec Heart and Lung Institute in 2004. He worked both in clinical and fundamental research, acting as a principal investigator and a member of the steering committee for the National Institutes of Health-sponsored Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network. He was responsible for the creation of a cardiac surgery residency program at Université Laval.

Dr. Voisine holds academic positions as an elected member of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery, and The American Heart Association’s scientific sessions program committee of the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia. He is the former chair of the cardiac surgery examination committee of The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

“Dr. Voisine is a strong and accomplished surgeon, educator, and researcher, with all the expertise to bring our Division of Cardiac Surgery and the University of Ottawa Heart Institute to incredible new heights,” said Dr. Marc Ruel.

“The University of Ottawa Heart Institute has a long and rich history of excellence,” said Dr. Pierre Voisine. “I am honoured and privileged to lead this division towards extraordinary new achievements in cardiac care, research, and education.”

Dr. Voisine’s faculty appointment with the University of Ottawa is in the department of surgery. His clinical interests include adult cardiac surgery with a focus on arterial grafting for coronary artery disease.

Additional information

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute has flourished into one of Canada’s most distinguished heart health centres for the unparalleled care it provides to its patients, a world-renowned research institute that brings science from bench to bedside, and the country’s main influencer when it comes to preventing heart disease. Its promise remains the very pillar on which it was built: Always putting patients first.

Interview opportunities

To coordinate an interview with Dr. Pierre Voisine, please liaise with the contact below.

Media contact

Leigh B. Morris
Communications Officer
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
613-316-6409 (cell)
lmorris@ottawaheart.ca