Philanthropy is helping to shape the future of heart care

Generous gifts through philanthropy allowed us to recruit an extraordinary leader—Veli Topkara, MD, MSc, a physician and researcher whose expertise in heart failure and transplantation is transforming patient care and propelling the field forward.

We welcomed Dr. Topkara in August 2024 as medical director of the UW Health Heart Failure, Ventricular Assist Device and Transplant programs. He is also core faculty of the Cardiovascular Research Center and associate professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, UW School of Medicine and Public Health. 

Dr. Topkara has built an illustrious career, having cared for more than 1,000 patients in need of heart transplants or mechanical circulatory support, and his dedication to understanding heart failure and advancing treatment options is widely recognized. 

His National Institutes of Health-funded research focuses on using both biology and cutting-edge technology to understand heart failure better, help the heart heal, and improve the process of heart transplants. His work has been highlighted in more than 200 publications.

Dr. Topkara is studying how changes in gene activity contribute to heart failure and how these changes might be reversed to help the heart heal. He is also exploring the ways artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to analyze large amounts of medical data to help doctors make better decisions in managing heart failure and optimize the donor selection process to improve heart transplant success.

“I am inspired by my patients’ resilience and am thrilled to join the UW faculty,” shared Dr. Topkara. He is bringing lifesaving solutions to patients and helping to shape the future of heart care—and because of generous support, we are building a legacy of hope, innovation and healing for generations to come.