About the conference
We are delighted to welcome you to the 73rd Annual Conference of the Israel Heart Society, in collaboration with the Israel Society of Cardiothoracic Surgery — marking 73 years of activity. The conference will take place at the David InterContinental Tel Aviv on June 8–9, 2026.
This year’s program will feature the latest clinical innovations and technology updates, leading keynote speakers from Israel and abroad, and a rich mix of plenary, parallel and satellite sessions showcasing cutting-edge research across our field.
We look forward to seeing you in Tel Aviv.
2026 Faculty
More speakers to be announced soon.
Gil Bolotin
Rambam Medical Center
Gil Bolotin
Dr. Gil Bolotin is a graduate of the Faculty of Medicine at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He completed his clinical training at the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Carmel Medical Center in Haifa. In addition, Dr. Bolotin was awarded a Doctorate degree from the University of Maastricht, Netherlands. Dr. Bolotin trained in mitral and robotic surgery (fellowship in North Carolina, 2002-2003), and in heart transplant, assist devices, and atrial fibrillation (Visiting Professor, The University of Chicago, 2003-2004). He also served as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Academic Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands (2006-2007).
Dr. Bolotin’s main research and clinical interests are in the fields of heart valve repair and replacement, surgery of the aorta, surgical treatments for heart failure, robotic and minimal invasive cardiac surgery, and surgical treatments for atrial fibrillation.
Ashraf Hamdan
Rabin Medical Center
Ashraf Hamdan
Dr. Ashraf Hamdan is a director of the cardiovascular imaging unit at Rabin Medical Center in Israel. His main clinical and research interest is cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. He graduated in medicine at the Georg-August-University of Göttingen in Germany and performed between 2006 and 2009 a fellowship in the field of cardiac computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging at the German Heart Institute Berlin and at the Charite´ University Berlin. Dr. Hamdan is currently chairman of working group of nuclear cardiology and cardiac computed tomography of Israel society of cardiology. His clinical service covers all aspects of cardiovascular computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear cardiology most notably ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathies, and structural heart disease.
Maayan Konigstein
Tel Aviv Medical Center
Maayan Konigstein
Prof. Maayan Konigstein is an interventional cardiologist who serves as the Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Unit at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. She is an associate professor in the faculty of medicine in Tel Aviv University. She completed an advanced clinical trials research fellowship at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation in New York. Prof. Konigstein has more than a hundred peer reviewed articles, focusing on advanced transcatheter interventions, coronary microvascular dysfunction, refractory angina, and outcomes following complex percutaneous coronary.
Ran Kornowski
Rabin Medical Center
Ran Kornowski
Ran Kornowski, MD, FACC, FESC, is Director of the Cardiology Department and the Institute of Interventional Cardiology at Rabin Medical Center. He is full Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University. He served as the Chairman of the National Working Group on Interventional Cardiology on behalf of the Israel Heart Society and is the current President of the Israel Heart Society. A world-renowned cardiologist and scholar, Prof. Kornowski established a cardiovascular research institute within the Cardiology Department conducting multiple clinical trials and translational research designated towards the best patient diagnosis and care. This research involves novel therapeutic techniques, cardiac imaging modalities and innovative therapeutic strategies.
Eran Leshem
Hillel Yaffe Medical Center
Eran Leshem
Dr. Eran Leshem graduated medical school (Cum Laude) at Ben Gurion University of the Negev. He then specialized in internal medicine and cardiology at the Tel Aviv Medical Center. After completing his residency and fellowship, Dr. Leshem completed a four-year research and clinical fellowship training in the field of cardiac arrhythmias at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston, USA), one of the leading medical centers in the world, affiliated to Harvard University medical school.
During his work in the USA, Dr. Leshem was extensively involved in the research of ablation technologies and cardiac mapping and assisted in the development of cutting-edge technologies and techniques in the field, and published close to 20 works on these topics.
Upon his return to Israel, Dr. Leshem joined the cardiac unit at Sheba Hospital, as a senior physician at the Davidai Institute for Arrhythmias.
In July 2022, he joined Hillel Yaffe Medical Center as the director of the electrophysiology and pacemaker unit at the hospital.
Elad Maor
Sheba Medical Center
Elad Maor
Prof. Dr. Elad Maor is an experienced doctor with 17 years of experience in internal medicine and cardiology. He has an impressive CV, including a Ph. D. in biophysics from the University of California and specialized training in cardiology. Dr. Maor has worked at renowned medical centers such as the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and the SHEBA Medical Center in Ramat Gan.
His extensive list of 324 scientific publications further demonstrates Dr. Maor’s expertise. His research focuses on various aspects of cardiac care, including catheter-based cardiac ablation, transcatheter aortic valve replacement, and AI-powered diagnosis in healthcare. These publications highlight his dedication to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes.
In addition to his academic achievements, Dr. Maor is actively involved in medical education and training. He coordinates continuing education courses for cardiology at the Israel Heart Society and holds the Associate Professor of Cardiology position at Tel-Aviv University.
With his vast knowledge and experience, Dr. Elad Maor is a trusted expert in cardiology. His commitment to research, education, and patient care makes him highly regarded in the medical community.
Giuseppe Rosano
St George’s University Medical School of London
Giuseppe Rosano
After obtaining his MD in Medicine and Surgery at the La Sapienza University of Rome with full honors in 1988, Giuseppe Rosano obtained his specialization in Cardiology in 1992, before attaining his MSc and his PhD in Medical Sciences from the Imperial College in London.
Professor Rosano’s areas of scientific interest include experimental and clinical pharmacology, heart failure, cardiac metabolism, diabetes and the cardiovascular effect of sex hormones. He has authored over 500 peer-reviewed articles, 5 books and 28 book chapters.
He is currently Consultant Cardiologist and Professor of Cardiology at the St George’s University Medical School in London he is also Professor of Pharmacology at San Raffaele University in Rome.
He has served as an expert in the area of Cardiovascular Medicine for the European Assessment Office of the Italian Drug Agency (AIFA), he has been core member of the Cardiovascular Working Party of the European Medicines Agency.
He is board member of the Heart Failure Association (HFA), Chairman of the Education committee of the HFA and President-elect of the HFA.
Lawrence Rudski
McGill University
Lawrence Rudski
Professor Lawrence Rudski serves as the Chief of Cardiology at the Jewish General Hospital (McGill University), as well as the Founding Director of the Azrieli Heart Centre.
He has significant experience and success in clinical and Tech-based innovation, creating new care models in cardiovascular care as well as in virtual care with IOT devices, point-of-care testing, and augmented reality. His philosophy is “create capabilities of people, processes and technologies to create capacity”.
He is initiating key projects to manage flow in a complex environment (Organizational Hemodynamics) by applying first principles and layering them on compassionate care of his co-workers across the healthcare spectrum. Through this, he is leading efforts to transition to a value-based approach to healthcare delivery.
He is an international authority in Echocardiography and Chaired the first International Guidelines document on the echocardiographic assessment of the right heart.
Professor Rudski has over 140 original publications and book chapters. He has served on many international and national committees and Boards, including the Board of Governors of the American College of Cardiology and as the President of the Canadian Society of Echocardiography.
Yan Topilsky
Tel Aviv Medical Center
Yan Topilsky
Prof. Yan Topilsky is the Director of the Cardiology Division and former director of the Non-Invasive Cardiology Unit at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center. He completed his fellowship in echocardiography, heart failure and transplantation medicine at the Mayo clinic in Rochester Minnesota. He is a Full Professor and Department Chair within the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University. Prof. Topilsky has authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications, specializing in valve diseases, myocardial and pericardial disorders, tricuspid regurgitation, and advanced cardiac imaging.
Nir Uriel
New York Presbyterian Hospital/CUIMC
Nir Uriel
Nir Uriel, MD, MSc, an internationally recognized leader in heart failure, mechanical circulatory support, and heart transplantation, is the Director of Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation at NewYork-Presbyterian. Dr. Uriel oversees heart failure programs at NewYork-Presbyterian’s campuses in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and Westchester, with a goal to increase accessibility of care for those with advanced heart failure throughout the New York area. Dr. Uriel was born and raised in Israel, where he attended medical school. After serving for four years as a physician in the Israeli Defense Forces, he then completed his cardiology residency and fellowship. In 2008, he moved to New York to pursue fellowships at NewYork- Presbyterian/Columbia in cardiology, heart failure, transplant, and mechanical circulatory support and remained there as a faculty member until 2014. He then served as the Louis Block Professor of Medicine and Director of Heart Failure, Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support at the University of Chicago Medicine, where, in 2018, he and his Chicago team made history performing two triple organ transplants within 27 hours.
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