Karen Sliwa

Prof. Sliwa is the Director of the Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa, University of Cape Town, South Africa. Born in Germany, studying Medicine, undergoing training as a physician and cardiologist in many countries, she has lived in South Africa since 1992. Cardiovascular disease in pregnancy and postpartum is one of her main areas of clinical and pathophysiological research. Recent progress in understanding underlying pathophysiology of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy, enabled...See more

Prof. Sliwa is the Director of the Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa, University of Cape Town, South Africa. Born in Germany, studying Medicine, undergoing training as a physician and cardiologist in many countries, she has lived in South Africa since 1992. Cardiovascular disease in pregnancy and postpartum is one of her main areas of clinical and pathophysiological research. Recent progress in understanding underlying pathophysiology of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy, enabled by novel experimental approaches interlinked with unique international efforts has led to great progress in awareness and management of the disease. To coordinate efforts even better, a Study Group, 'Peripartum Cardiomyopathy', of the Heart Failure Association of the European Cardiac Society, chaired by her and others was formed in 2009. That has led to a large international registry under the EuroObservational Programe on Peripartum Cardiomyopathy. In recognition of her work Prof Sliwa has received several awards, including the South Africa/Germany Year of Science Celebrations Award (2012), German Cardiac Society Paul Morawitz Award for Exceptional Cardiovascular Research (2013) and the Cardiac Disease in Pregnancy award (2014) and the Africa's most influential women in Business & Government life-time award (2015 and 2016). In 2017 Prof. Sliwa was awarded an Honorary Doctorate University Diderot-Sorbonne, Paris, France. This is the Highest Distinction of French Universities as a recognition towards Research and Global Engagement which is awarded by the French University Research Board and approved by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She serves on many editorial boards and is also an editorial consultant to 'The Lancet'. Furthermore, she is former president of the South African Heart Association and on the board of the South African Heart Failure Society, which was established under her leadership in 2005. She is president-elect of the World Heart Federation (2017-2018), serves on the European Cardiac Society International Affairs Committee and is Vice-president South and board member of the Pan African Society of Cardiology. She has been the Faculty of Health Science Deputy Dean for Research from 1 March 2017-30 April 2018. See less