Cardiac surgery chair at Cedars-Sinai takes the helm of STS journals
CHICAGO (December 13, 2021) — The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) has appointed Joanna Chikwe, MD, FRCS, as the new Editor-in-Chief of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery and its soon-to-be-launched open access journal, Annals Short Reports. She will step into this role on January 1, 2022.
“This is an exhilarating time to run a journal of this caliber, because of the exciting science and technology transforming our specialty and the untapped potential of digital content,” said Dr. Chikwe, from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. “STS is the most widely recognized organization in cardiothoracic surgery, so the potential global impact is huge.”
Dr. Chikwe’s vision for The Annals encompasses greater impact, relevance, and reach for the journal. She also will guide the expansion of its digital platform and the launch of the new Annals Short Reports during the first quarter of 2022.
Dr. Chikwe previously served as associate editor and deputy editor for The Annals, and as a section editor for specialty journals such as the European Heart Journal and Journal of the American College of Cardiology. In addition, she has published more than 200 peer‐reviewed contributions and three surgery textbooks, as well as led six expert consensus writing groups. Dr. Chikwe also is the principal investigator of the National Institutes of Health-sponsored trial with the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network that examines surgical versus transcatheter degenerative mitral valve repair.
A recognized leader in the fields of robotic mitral valve repair and coronary revascularization, Dr. Chikwe is the founding chair of the Department of Cardiac Surgery in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai. She also serves as the Irina and George Schaeffer Distinguished Chair in Cardiac Surgery and professor of cardiac surgery.
Dr. Chikwe completed her medical degree at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, cardiothoracic surgery residency at the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals in London, and cardiac surgery fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. She remained on the Mount Sinai faculty for more than a decade before being recruited to lead the Department of Cardiac Surgery at Cedars-Sinai.
“Dr. Chikwe is an accomplished cardiac surgeon with an impressive record of academic scholarship, effective leadership, and clinical achievement,” said STS President Sean C. Grondin, MD, MPH, FRCSC. “With her significant editorial experience, she has proposed exciting strategies to make The Annals the most impactful and engaging journal in cardiothoracic surgery. We are thrilled to welcome her to the leadership team and are looking forward to continuing our work together in providing a high-quality journal for our specialty.”
Dr. Chikwe’s appointment follows the departure of G. Alexander Patterson, MD, FRCS(C), who has served as Editor-in-Chief since 2015. The first issue under Dr. Chikwe’s editorship is expected to publish in mid-2022.
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To speak with Dr. Chikwe, contact Jennifer Bagley at 312-202-5865 or jbagley@sts.org.
Founded in 1964, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 7,600 cardiothoracic surgeons, researchers, and allied health care professionals worldwide who are dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for surgeries of the heart, lung, and esophagus, as well as other surgical procedures within the chest. The Society’s mission is to advance cardiothoracic surgeons’ delivery of the highest quality patient care through collaboration, education, research, and advocacy.
The Annals of Thoracic Surgery is the official journal of STS and the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association. It has an impact factor of 4.33.