The Baird Institute: Symposium 2026 Program

Heart by Design
Translating the Science

Aortic Surgery and Heart Failure Symposium 2026

Event Program

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Friday, 18 Sept. 2026

Saturday, 19 Sept. 2026, (Symposium Day)

Friday, 18 September 2026

Evidence in the Age of Intelligence

Innovation, AI, and Surgical Variation in Cardiac Clinical Trials

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Lunch

RL Harris Room, Kerry Packer Education Centre (KPEC), Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

Session 1 - Innovation and Evidence

Location: John Greenaway Auditorium, Kerry Packer Education Centre (KPEC), Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

1:00 pm

Opening

Alistair Royce

1:05 pm

What changes practice in surgery?

Alistair Royce + Q&A

1:22 pm

Contemporary trial designs for surgical innovation

Ian Harris + Q&A

1:39 pm

The case for Registries

Chris Reid

1:56 pm

When is the time to start a clinical trial? Case for a Multicentre Loeys-Dietz surgical trial.

Michael Fischbein + Q&A

2:15 pm

Break

Session 2 - The role of AI in surgical research

Location: John Greenaway Auditorium, Kerry Packer Education Centre (KPEC), Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

2:30 pm

AI in trial design and execution

Daniel Capurro + Q&A

2:47 pm

My AI program in systematic review

Tobias Frühwald + Q&A

3:04 pm

Benefits & Limitations: AI in Registries

Justin Ren + Q&A

3:21 pm

AI in manuscript preparation and the integrity question

David Tian + Q&A

3:40 pm

Closing Panel - "Will Surgical Evidence Keep Up With Surgical Innovation?"

Panel + Floor Q&A

4:30 pm

Close

Welcome Cocktail Reception

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Reception

Charles Perkins Centre Foyer, University of Sydney

Featuring:

  • Guided tour of the CPC Hybrid Theatre
  • Speeches from Professor Paul Bannon, Fernando Calamante, Simon Ringer and dignitaries from the University of Sydney
  • Introduction to the new MRI Facility
  • Networking reception with faculty and delegates

Saturday, 19 September 2026

Symposium Day

Location: Charles Perkins Centre (CPC) Auditorium, Johns Hopkins Drive, University of Sydney

8:30 am

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Professor Paul Bannon

Session 1 - Precision Aortic Surgery: From Biology to Prediction

8:45 am

Introduction of Keynote Speaker

Professor Paul Bannon

8:50 am

Keynote Address:

The Future of Precision Aortic Surgery: Building the Digital and Biological Twin of the Aorta

Professor Michael Fischbein

The future of aortic care will combine biological, biomechanical and imaging data to identify who is at risk, when intervention is required, and how best to treat them.

9:30 am

From Human Biobank to Bedside: Discovering the Molecular Drivers of Aortic Disease

Dr Elizabeth Robertson

Precision surgery begins with understanding the biology underlying aortic failure.

9:45 am

Why Does the Aorta Dissect? Insights from Experimental Models

Dr Renjing Liu

Animal models allow causal mechanisms to be defined and potential therapies tested before translation to humans.

10:00 am

Seeing Risk Before It Happens: MRI Flow Dynamics and the Precision Assessment of the Aorta

Professor Martin Misfeld

The haemodynamic phenotype may become as important as the anatomical phenotype.

10:15 am

Engineering the Future Aorta: Regenerative and Synthetic Solutions for Complex Aortic Reconstruction

Professor Paul Bannon

The next generation of aortic surgery may replace one-size-fits-all grafts with biologically active, patient-specific vascular substitutes.

10:30 am

Panel Discussion:

Can We Predict the Next Dissection?

Panel:

  • Professor Michael Fischbein
  • Dr Renjing Liu
  • Professor Paul Bannon
  • Dr Elizabeth Robertson
  • Professor Martin Misfeld

A multidisciplinary discussion exploring the evidence gaps and future roadmap toward precision aortic surgery by 2035.

11:00 am

Morning Tea

Session 2 - Heart Failure and Cardiac Regeneration

11:30 am

Introduction of Keynote Speaker

Professor Sean Lal

11:35 am

Keynote Address:

Novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of heart failure

Professor William Pu

12:20 pm

Intrinsic human cardiac regeneration: Can we reverse ischaemic heart failure?

Professor Sean Lal

12:35 pm

Introduction of Keynote Speaker

Professor John O’Sullivan

12:40 pm

Keynote Address:

Evolving taxonomy for Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF). Implications for diagnosis and treatment

Professor David Kaye

1:15 pm

DECODE HFpEF therapeutic matching

Professor John O’Sullivan

1:30 pm

Lunch

Session 3 - Emerging Research and Future Directions

2:30 pm

Gold Sponsor Presentation

Innovation that Delivers Clinical Impact

Edwards Lifesciences – David Bellas

2:45 pm

Emerging Leaders Hotshot Presentations

Chair: Professor Sean Lal

A series of short presentations from our emerging leaders in treating heart failure and Aortic disease.

3:30 pm

Afternoon Tea

3:45 pm

Closing Expert Panel

Chair: Professor Paul Bannon

Panel Members:

  • Professor William Pu
  • Professor Michael Fischbein
  • Professor David Kaye
  • Professor John O’Sullivan
  • Professor Sean Lal

Discussion Topic
Translating Discovery into Better Outcomes: The Future of Aortic Surgery and Heart Failure Research

4:30 pm

Closing Remarks

Professor Paul Bannon

4:35 pm

Symposium Close

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