Shamir Mehta
PHRI Senior Scientist Shamir Mehta has been named the inaugural Douglas Holder/PHRI Chair in Interventional Cardiology, endowed with $1 million in funding by PHRI, matched by McMaster University’s Department of Medicine.
Dr. Mehta leads the ACS and Interventional Cardiology research group at PHRI. He is known for landmark trials such as COMPLETE (2019, NEJM), renowned globally for leading revascularization strategies for acute coronary syndromes. Previously Dr. Mehta has led studies showing that combination treatment with different types of antiplatelet agents and anti-coagulants were effective and safe in reducing death and complications in those with a heart attack.
A ceremony was held at PHRI’s headquarters in Hamilton, Canada today to recognize the substantial investment in Dr. Mehta’s future work in interventional cardiology research.
Members of the McMaster academic medicine community sat alongside Dr. Mehta’s partner, children, mother, sister, and niece – a proud support network emphasizing the contribution of family to the success of a clinician-scientist.
Moving tributes to his outstanding career to date included Salim Yusuf, PHRI’s Executive Director. “He is an absolutely first-class doctor and researcher, whose recently-devised treatment of complete revascularization is just one example of his outstanding research in the field of interventional cardiology.”
The chair’s namesake, Douglas Holder was on hand to honout Dr. Mehta, his former mentee. Dr. Holder, a cardiologist, joined McMaster faculty in 1976, and held both university and leadership roles at Hamilton General Hospital through to his retirement in 2012. He initiated the percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) program in Hamilton in 1982.
“Some people dabble in research and write papers for their own sake, but Dr. Mehta’s work is always well-thought-out and the questions he asks are always the important ones, which he answers by conducting large definitive trials,” said Dr. Holder.
Paul O’Byrne, Dean and Vice-President, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University said “the therapies Dr. Mehta has devised for coronary artery disease will not only advance the field of interventional cardiology, but are a fine example of McMaster University’s reputation as a global leader in lifesaving medical discoveries.”
Dr. Mehta said that “as interventional cardiologists, we are saving lives every time that we are on call. It is enormously gratifying that we can do so. We have devised safe and effective treatments that were previously unheard of, and we can administer these new treatments in a safe and effective manner.”
L to R: Salim Yusuf, Shamir Mehta, Douglas Holder, and Paul O’Byrne at the Douglas Holder/PHRI Endowed Chair ceremony, September 2021.
Three generations of mentorship in interventional cardiology in Hamilton: Sanjit Jolly; Shamir Mehta; Doug Holder.
