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Inspiring Stories

New Momentum

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Support From The Levant Foundation Powers New Momentum in Heart Innovation
Through a generous donation from The Levant Foundation, three important endowments in the field of cardiovascular healthcare and research are helping to create better outcomes for heart patients.
The impact of the foundation’s 2022 gift in support of the Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center has been far-reaching. Dr. Sherif F. Nagueh, the inaugural holder of The Jamal Daniel Family Chair in Cardiovascular Diseases, has completed several important studies, including examining a minimally invasive procedure that may be used in lieu of open-heart surgery.
The Jamal Daniel Family Innovations in Cardiovascular Disease Research Endowment, led by Dr. Khurram Nasir, chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Prevention and Wellness and the William A. Zoghbi, MD Centennial Chair in Cardiovascular Health, has allowed Houston Methodist experts to push the boundaries of preventive cardiology through advanced data science and artificial intelligence (AI). To this end, Dr. Nasir’s team has developed an AI model that predicts coronary artery calcium to enable earlier detection of heart disease and reduce the need for imaging.
The recipient of The Jamal Daniel Family Presidential Distinguished Centennial Innovator in Cardiovascular Diseases endowed position will launch new research and healthcare strategies while also strengthening existing ones — such as the Adult Congenital Heart Program — to identify and care for the high percentage of adults living with congenital heart disease who go untreated.
“In keeping with The Levant Foundation’s long history of commitment to healthcare organizations throughout the world, we are tremendously grateful that they are choosing to support Houston Methodist and the DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center in such a meaningful way,” says Dr. William Zoghbi, MD, The Elkins Family Distinguished Chair in Cardiac Health and chair of the Department of Cardiology. “This transformative gift continues to have a profound impact on our ability to provide outstanding care to the population we serve and improve their quality of life.”