Our Invited Speakers:
• Dr Pekka Aho
I am a consultant vascular surgeon, adjunct professor and head of department at Helsinki University Hospital. I am responsible for endovascular and hybrid procedures.
My main research topics are radiation safety and the results of hybrid procedures, as well as long-term results of EVAR procedures, simulation training of occlusion balloon in ruptured AAA and REVAR-procedures. I also do national audits on radiation safety in Finland.
• Prof Zbigniew Gałązka
Professor Zbigniew Gałązka MD, PhD is one of the most renowned polish vascular surgeons and the President of the Polish Society for Vascular Surgery. He is a Chair in the Department of General, Endocrine, Vascular and Transplant Surgery of Medical University of Warsaw. As a leader in Polish Vascular Medicine Professor Gałązka MD PhD conducted a pioneer surgeries: first in Poland in-situ laser fenestration of abdominal aortic stentgraft and aortic arch stentgraft, first in Poland implantation of Nexus aortic arch stentgraft system, first in Poland implantation of E-xtra Design Multibranch stentgraft system with Artivex thoracic extension. Profesor Galazka is Member of Board of Association of Polish Surgeons, Member of Board of Polish Transplantation Society, Member of European Society for Vascular Surgery, Member of Society for Vascular Surgery and Member of European Society for Organ Transplantation.
• Prof Maarit Venermo
Maarit Venermo, MD, PhD, Professor of Vascular Surgery and Head of Department at Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, is a former President of the Finnish Society for Vascular Surgery and current Secretary General of the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS). She is actively involved in VASCUNET committee, ESVS Virtual Vascular (editor), BEST-CLI working group, several guidelines writing groups (ESVS representative in DFU guidelines, DTA-guidelines, ESC guidelines for PAAD), VASCULAR-AID research group, as well as numerous other advisory boards and committees within the Vascular Surgery community.
• Prof Eric L.G. Verhoeven
Prof Eric Verhoeven was born in Belgium in 1960. During his youth, he lived and followed school in different countries including Germany, Belgium, and France. He received his MD degree at the University of Leuven (Belgium) in 1988. After graduating in General Surgery (Leuven, 1994) he moved to The Netherlands for a fellowship in Vascular Surgery at the University Medical Center Groningen, and accepted a position as Consultant Vascular Surgeon one year later. He quickly set up an endovascular programme in cooperation with the surrounding peripheral hospitals, leading to a large experience.
In 2005, he completed his PhD Thesis entitled “Endovascular Aneurysm Repair: Results and exploration of new frontiers” at the University of Groningen.
In November 2009, he accepted a position as chief of the department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery in Nuremberg (Germany).
In January 2011, he was awarded a guest-professorship of Surgery at the University of Lisbon, Portugal. In October 2011, he accepted a professorship in Vascular Surgery at the University of Leuven, Belgium. In 2014, he became full professor in vascular surgery at the Paracelsus Medical University of Nuremberg.
His main interest, both clinical and scientific, continues to be the treatment of complex aortic aneurysms with fenestrated and branched grafts, with now experience in 2000 cases.
He presented results of his work in numerous congresses with more than 1300 official presentations, and has published over 300 articles and book chapters.
He is married with Margo; together they have two sons (Daniel, 18, and Anthony, 17)
Other interests include a wide variety of sports and travelling.
He speaks several languages (Dutch, French, German, English, and some Spanish and Italian).
• Prof Anders Wanhainen
Anders Wanhainen, MD, PhD, is Professor (Chair) of Vascular Surgery, deputy head of the Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, chair of the Uppsala Aorta Centre of Excellence, Chair of the Surgical Research Board, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. He is also Guest Professor of Surgery at Umeå University, Sweden.
Professor Wanhainen is a general and vascular surgeon who specializes in advanced open and endovascular surgery of complex aortic disease.
He has served as president of the Swedish Society for Vascular Surgery and Councilor of the European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS), and is the current Chair of the ESVS Guidelines Steering Committee, and chaired the ESVS 2019 and 2024 Aortic GL Writing Committee.
Professor Wanhainen’s research interests include epidemiological and clinical aspects of aortic diseases, with special focus on pathophysiology, screening, surgical and endovascular repair, and medical treatment. Other areas of interest are vascular infections and connective tissue disorders. He has authored more than 350 articles in medical journals and textbooks with H-index 43, and has been an invited speaker to >100 international meetings/congresses. He is the supervisor for 30 PhD-students; 20 who completed their PhD. Professor Wanhainen has been PI for several clinical research projects and receives research grants from the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation, and the King Gustaf V’s and Queen Victoria’s Foundation. He was awarded The Linné Foundation Medical Research Award 2007, The Swedish Surgical Society’s “Great Surgical Research Prize” in 2011, and the Swedish Vascular Award 2008 and 2014.
