Fueling Groundbreaking Research
In 2022, MHIF named the Van Tassel Innovation Center and Endowment to honor Dr. Robert Van Tassel’s spirit of innovation and support visionaries for years to come. The Center provides the resources necessary for independent research to answer critical heart and vascular health questions, share the findings with professionals worldwide, and ultimately improve the quality and length of patients’ lives.
Investment in the Van Tassel Endowment will help ensure MHIF’s long-term financial stability and allow researchers to continue groundbreaking, innovative research across a continuum of cardiovascular care — from prevention to diagnosis and treatment. Learn more about ways to give. Pictured are Dr. Robert Van Tassel and his wife, Betty.
A Legacy of Innovation
In 1981, Dr. Robert Van Tassel performed the first coronary balloon angioplasty in Minnesota and became a founding member of the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital. In 1982, he, along with 12 other cardiologists, had the vision to create the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation (MHIF) to solidify their commitment to cardiovascular research and education, ensuring the finest and most advanced patient care.
Living by the motto, “You can’t think big enough,” Dr. Van Tassel was an exceptional leader, innovator, and visionary in cardiovascular medicine, embodying the spirit of innovation and paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in the field.
Researching Critical Questions
Every day in their clinical practice with patients, our partnering cardiologists and vascular specialists at the Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute (MHI) continually uncover important new questions worth exploring, often asking themselves, “How can we do better?” The Van Tassel Innovation Center empowers these partners to design and lead their own research studies to address critical heart and vascular health questions that might otherwise go unanswered.
This research is not sponsored by industry partners such as medical device or pharmaceutical companies. Each research project is conceived and led by an MHI physician and executed by a dedicated team of highly skilled MHIF staff. Pictured are physician researchers Drs. João Cavalcante, Yader Sandoval, and Emmanouil Brilakis.
Innovation In Action
For over 40 years, MHIF has led the way in heart health innovation, creating breakthroughs that have changed medical practice:
Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center & Core Labs
In 2019, the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation established the Cardiovascular Imaging Research Center as a state-of-the-art academic cardiac multi-modality imaging laboratory and core labs.
Level One
By standardizing and accelerating initial care decisions to ensure those suffering heart attacks are ready for rapid intervention, the Level One heart attack program MHIF researchers pioneered has reduced deaths by more than 50 percent in the facilities where care teams practice it.
Valve Science Center
The Valve Science Center at MHIF is a global leader in heart valve disease research, offering advanced, minimally invasive treatments to repair and replace aortic, mitral, pulmonary, and tricuspid valves, providing lifesaving solutions for patients.
Dr. João Cavalcante Named Inaugural Innovation Chair
João Cavalcante, MD, has been named the Inaugural Innovation Chair of the Van Tassel Innovation Center. This Chair supports an Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute physician, dedicated to a transformational approach to cardiovascular disease or prevention. Dr. Cavalcante is internationally recognized for his special expertise and research contributions in advanced cardiovascular imaging, in particular cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT). “I am honored to be named the first Innovation Chair as part of a center that is named after Dr. Robert Van Tassel, MHIF Founder and one of our greatest advocates for innovation,” said Dr. Cavalcante.
“Dr. Cavalcante is a brilliant researcher, inclusive leader and widely respected clinician, in short, the perfect choice for this prestigious position within MHIF,” said Scott Sharkey, MD, president, and chief medical officer, MHIF. “We have no doubt his work will bring major breakthroughs for patients suffering with heart disease across the globe.” Read the full article here.
Ways to Give
Your contributions to the Van Tassel Innovation Center will provide the resources necessary to for independent research designed and led by a dedicated team of MHIF research physicians and staff to answer critical heart and vascular health questions, share the findings with professionals worldwide, and ultimately improve the quality and length of patients’ lives.
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