YEREVAN — The Fourth International Yerevan Cardiovascular Symposium took place on October 1-3 at Mkhitar Heratsi Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU). It incorporated a joint German-Armenian meeting. During the symposium, the Dr. Aram Chobanian Clinical Research Award Ceremony was conducted. The central focus of the symposium was “Heart Failure: from Prevention to Transplantation.” The program covered modern approaches to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart failure, updates to clinical guidelines, and current strategies regarding various stages of disease management. Participants could receive 18 continuing professional development credits. Principal symposium organizers and partners with YSMU included the Armenian Cardiologists Association, a professional team from Magdeburg University Hospital, Eternal Nation Foundation ( https://eternalnation.com/ ), and Asociación Médica Amigos De Armenia (Friends of Armenia Medical Association, or AMADeA), a Spanish medical association, which both co-organized and co-financed the symposium for the fourth consecutive year. YSMU and Magdeburg University Hospital also have a longstanding partnership involving educational and scientific cooperation. Professor Armen Muradyan, rector of Yerevan State Medical University (photo courtesy YSMU) In his welcoming remarks, Prof. Armen Muradyan, YSMU Rector, highlighted as key issues the fight against smoking, problems related to excess weight, and hypertension. Muradyan said that approximately one in five people over the age of 70 suffers from these conditions. Armenian Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan (photo courtesy YSMU) Armenian Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan declared: “The prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases is a priority for the government because, unfortunately, cardiovascular disease ranks first among causes of death in Armenia, claiming thousands of lives annually. We have come a long way in this regard; significant work has been accomplished in recent years concerning infrastructure development, the advancement of the professional community, and the accessibility of services. As a result, we are seeing a reduction in mortality — one of the most important indicators.” She pointed to tobacco use, excess weight and unhealthy diets as major risk factors, and called for investment in health literacy and lifestyle changes alongside treatment services. Professor Hamayak Sisakian, Head of the YSMU Department of Cardiology and Head of the Clinic of General and Invasive Cardiology and Internal Medicine at Heratsi University Hospital, emphasized YSMU’s role in training cardiologists, the educational purpose of the Armenian-German meeting, and the need to develop device-based heart failure therapies, circulatory assist devices, artificial hearts, and heart transplantation in Armenia. Dr. Lilian Grigorian, interventional cardiologist at San Rafael University Hospital in Madrid, Spain, and co-organizer of the event, stressed the importance of international collaboration and connections between Armenian cardiologists and their colleagues abroad, and observed that for the first time, the symposium was being held at YSMU. Dr. Sarkis Kiramijyan, interventional cardiologist at Adventist Health White Memorial in Los Angeles, and symposium co-organizer, discussed developing cardiovascular care and technologies in Armenia. He reported the introduction and continued use of TAVI/TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve implantation/replacement) procedures at Heratsi University Hospital, under Sisakian’s leadership. Greek cardiologist Gerasimos Filippatos, affiliated with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and Attikon University Hospital, delivered the opening scientific presentation on heart failure and related controversies. Greek cardiologist and professor at Attikon Hospital Gerasimos Filippatos commenting (photo Aram Arkun) Dr. Manuel Martínez-Sellés, head of the Acute Cardiac Care Unit of Gregorio Marañón University Hospital in Madrid, presented Spain’s experience, innovations and challenges in heart transplantation. Dr. Manuel Martínez-Sellés, head of the Acute Cardiac Care Unit of Gregorio Marañón University Hospital in Madrid, speaking (photo Aram Arkun) Dr. Knarik Arkun, neuropathologist and cardiopathologist at Tufts Medical Center, Boston, presented pathological aspects of the explanted hearts, and pathology of rejection in transplanted heart. She also gave a talk on cardiac amyloidosis. Professor Rüdiger Christian Braun-Dullaeus, Director of Cardiology and Angiology, Magdeburg University Hospital, delivered a remote lecture on coronary microvascular dysfunction and heart failure. This lecture was a memorial tribute to groundbreaking American cardiologist Professor Eugene Braunwald, M.D., who passed away on April 22, 2026 at the age of 96. Leading the Department of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Braunwal was the founding editor of Braunwald’s Heart Disease textbook, which was the standard book of cardiologists for 3-4 generations and has been considered by many as the father of modern cardiology. Scientific topics covered during the talks at the conference included advanced cardiovascular imaging, cardiac resynchronization therapy, TAVI/TAVR, interventional treatment of valvular disease, mechanical circulatory support and left ventricular assist devices, heart transplantation, artificial intelligence in cardiology, invasive assessment of coronary microvascular disease and cardiovascular risk management. During the symposium, Mkhitar Heratsi commemorative medals and certificates of appreciation were presented to Gerasimos Filippatos and Sarkis Kiramijyan, and certificates of appreciation to Lilian Grigoryan, Knarik Arkun, Manuel Martínez-Sellés, Konstantinos Toutouzas, Zviad Kipiani and Hadi Skouri. Dr. Aram Chobanian Clinical Research Award Dr. Gevorg Yaghjyan formerly served as YSMU vice dean for postgraduate and continuing medical education. Yaghjyan developed a relationship with Dr. Aram Chobanian during his Fulbright experience at Boston University. Chobanian became his mentor in medical education and a close personal friend. Chobanian was an internationally recognized cardiologist and hypertension researcher. He was a former president of Boston University and former dean of Boston University School of Medicine. He contributed to medical education and healthcare development in Armenia. Dr. Gevorg Yaghjyan (photo Aram Arkun) Following the passing of Dr. Aram Chobanian in 2023, Yaghjyan wanted to honor his mentor through practical support for young physicians in Armenia. He approached Garnik Nanagoulian, then executive director of the Fund for Armenian Relief, and proposed establishing a clinical research award in Dr. Chobanian’s memory. The Armenian National Science and Education Fund (ANSEF) already had established a grant program supporting basic and biomedical science. However, Yaghjyan believed it was equally important to create a complementary award focused specifically on clinical research – bringing science closer to patients and encouraging Armenian physicians to investigate questions arising directly from clinical practice. Nanagoulian immediately embraced the idea. With his encouragement and the invaluable assistance of Dr. Hambartsum Simonyan, the original proposal was further developed and ultimately transformed into a new and distinct recognition – the Dr. Aram Chobanian Clinical Research Award. This combination of basic science and clinical research reflects Dr. Chobanian’s own remarkable career as a physician, scientist, educator, and academic leader. His work demonstrated that scientific discovery and clinical medicine are not separate paths-they must come together to improve patients’ lives. Out of ten initial applicants for the award, seven made presentations. From these, two cardiologists were selected through a competitive process based on the quality, scientific merit, and clinical relevance of their submitted research abstracts. The jurors were Drs. Sisakian, Kiramijyan, Grigorian, and Arkun. Dr. Simonyan, Healthcare Programs Director and Deputy Country Director at the Fund for Armenian Relief, presented certificates to the awardees and mentioned their importance for career-building. Dr. Ani Rapyan receives the Dr. Aram Chobanian Clinical Research Award from Dr. Hambardzum Simonyan (photo Aram Arkun) The first-place recipient was Dr. Ani Rapyan, a lecturer at the YSMU Department of Propaedeutics of Internal Medicine. Dr. Ruzanna Alaverdyan receives the Dr. Aram Chobanian Clinical Research Award from Dr. Hambardzum Simonyan (photo Aram Arkun) The second-place recipient was Dr. Ruzanna Alaverdyan, a physician at the Admissions and Emergency Care Department of Heratsi University Hospital. Aram Arkun The post Dr. Aram Chobanian Clinical Research Awards Given at 4th International Yerevan Cardiovascular Symposium appeared first on The Armenian Mirror-Spectator .