Medical Advisory Board

Dr. James Abel

Dr. James Abel is Assistant Director of the Cardiac Surgery Division, Co-Director of the Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit at St. Paul's Hospital and a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of B.C., Division of Cardiovascular Surgery. He graduated from University of Toronto with a Masters in pharmacology as well as an MD. A cardiovascular surgeon at St. Paul's since 1993, his special areas of interest include mitral (heart) valve repair surgery, complex surgical procedures to help patients with severe heart failure avoid the need for a heart transplant, and surgical procedures to cure atrial fibrillation, a common irregularity of the heartbeat. Dr. Abel has been involved in clinical quality improvement initiatives in the program, and numerous research studies and publications over the past two decades.

Dr. John Webb

Dr. John Webb is currently a Clinical Professor at the University of British Columbia, Canada and Director of Cardiac Catheterization and Interventional Cardiology at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, Canada.

Dr Webb's research interests include percutaneous management of valvular heart disease, myocardial infarction, shock and new device development. Vancouver currently has the largest and broadest percutaneous valve experience where active clinical programs include transarterial and transapical aortic and pulmonary valve implantation as well as conventional valvuloplasty and paravalvular leak closure. More experimental clinical mitral programs include annular stenting, suture plication and edge-to-edge repair procedures.

Dr. John Yeung

Dr. John Yeung is one of the leading cardiologists in North America and specializes in percutaneous ablation treatment for atrial fibrillation. Dr. Yeung is a Clinical Professor in the Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. He is also the Director of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, Canada and leads a world-renowned cardiac ablation program.

Dr. Yeung graduated in Medicine from the University Of Glasgow, Scotland. After doing his Cardiology residency training at the University of Alberta, he trained in EP at the University of Oklahoma under Dr. W Jackman. Dr. Yeung received a Merit award as one of the finalists at the Young Investigator Award competition at NASPE (currently HRS).