Three ISHLT Leaders Honored by ISHLT Foundation for Mentorship
On 25 April, at the closing General Session of the ISHLT 46th Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions in Toronto, the ISHLT Foundation announced three 2026 recipients of the Francis D. Pagani, MD Endowed Mentorship Award: Howard Eisen, MD; Heather Ross, MD, MSc, FRCPC; and Andreas Zuckermann, MD.
Howard Eisen, MD
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA USA
Dr. Howard Eisen has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to mentorship and has had a profound impact on trainees, colleagues, and multidisciplinary team members throughout their careers. His guidance has helped shape the career paths, research development, and leadership growth of many physicians, several of whom now lead advanced heart failure and transplant programs across the country and internationally. His mentoring approach is characterized by generosity, attentiveness, and long-term commitment, balancing high expectations with encouragement, autonomy, and steadfast support through both professional and personal challenges.
Dr. Eisen is adept at identifying potential in trainees and to provide meaningful opportunities in research, clinical leadership, and professional development. By fostering collaborative environments that emphasize intellectual curiosity, ethical practice, and clinical excellence, he has helped cultivate the next generation of leaders in cardiovascular medicine. Through decades of dedicated mentorship, Dr. Eisen’s influence continues to be reflected in the accomplishments and leadership of the many physicians and scientists he has guided.
Heather Ross, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Toronto General Hospital / University Health Network
Toronto, ON Canada
Dr. Heather Ross is widely known for her outstanding dedication to mentorship and the significant influence she has had on trainees, early-career faculty, and colleagues across all stages of their professional growth. She has a remarkable ability to recognizing potential, guide individuals toward meaningful opportunities in research and leadership, and support them through pivotal career decisions with insight, generosity, and candor. Her mentorship style encourages intellectual curiosity, innovation, and thoughtful clinical decision-making while maintaining high standards of excellence.
Dr. Ross emphasizes the importance of balance, empathy, and perspective in medicine, fostering an environment where professional achievement is paired with personal growth and well-being. By empowering others to pursue their own paths and develop their unique strengths, she has helped cultivate a generation of physicians and scientists who are now leaders in advanced heart failure and transplantation programs around the world. Her influence is reflected not only in academic and clinical accomplishments but also in the collaborative and supportive culture she continues to inspire.
Andreas Zuckermann, MD
Medical University of Vienna
Vienna, Austria
Professor Andreas Zuckermann is broadly recognized as an exceptional mentor with a far-reaching impact on intellectual, professional, and scientific growth. He fosters rigorous critical thinking, intellectual independence, and a strong translational approach, enabling trainees to bridge basic science with clinical application in transplantation. In addition to cultivating academic growth, he actively supports career advancement by guiding grant development, facilitating international collaborations, and creating opportunities that position mentees for visibility and leadership within the field.
Dr. Zuckermann is deeply committed to the personal and professional growth of those he mentors. He models compassionate, patient-centered care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical leadership, while encouraging resilience, self-awareness, and balance in a demanding field, demonstrating that excellence in medicine can coexist with well-being and personal fulfillment. Through sustained investment in his trainees, he develops not only highly skilled clinicians and researchers, but also confident, thoughtful leaders who contribute meaningfully to the advancement of transplantation medicine.
This $5,000 USD award is provided by the ISHLT Foundation in honor of a member of the ISHLT that displays selfless mentorship of clinicians dedicated to the treatment of advanced heart and lung disease. Award funding supports education, research, and training activities at the discretion of the mentor.