TCT^® CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

For extraordinary contributions to the field of interventional cardiology and transforming cardiovascular care through clinical excellence, pioneering research, and mentorship of the next generation of physicians and researchers.

Stephan Windecker, MD

Chairman, Department of Cardiology, Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital Bern, Inselspital, Switzerland

Professor of Medicine, University of Bern

Join Us for the Award Presentation in the Main Arena at TCT^® 2025.
Date and time to come!

This year’s honoree is not only a leader in interventional cardiovascular medicine but also someone who has personally inspired so many of us. Stephan has been a pioneering force in advancing the field with critical contributions in transcatheter heart valve interventions, intracoronary devices, and antithrombotic therapy. His extensive research has shaped clinical practice worldwide, and his leadership and collaboration continue to influence the future of cardiovascular medicine. We are proud to recognize his lifelong dedication, innovation, and lasting impact on our field.

Martin B. Leon, MD

Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Cardiovascular Research Foundation^®, TCT^® 2025 Program Director

We are thrilled to honor Stephan with this year’s Career Achievement Award, celebrating his remarkable contributions and lasting impact on the field. Throughout his career, Stephan has exemplified excellence in academic work, research, and patient care, holding himself to the highest standards both professionally and personally. He is a role model to us all, embodying exceptional humanistic qualities and seamlessly balancing his pursuits while fostering collaboration and unity.

Juan F. Granada, MD

President and Chief Executive Officer, Cardiovascular Research Foundation^®, TCT^® 2025 Program Director

If there’s one thing we can say about Stephan, it’s that he is the ‘prince’ of interventional cardiology! A visionary leader, he has set the bar for excellence in the field. Through his brilliance, unwavering integrity and vast scientific knowledge, he has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to fostering and mentoring the next generation. For the past 20+ years, he has proved to be the best of the best, dedicating his career to advancing both coronary and structural interventions.

Roxana Mehran, MD

TCT^® 2025 Program Director

Martin B. Leon, MD

Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Cardiovascular Research Foundation^®, TCT^® 2025 Program Director

Juan F. Granada, MD

President and Chief Executive Officer, Cardiovascular Research Foundation^®, TCT^® 2025 Program Director

Roxana Mehran, MD

TCT^® 2025 Program Director

Martin B. Leon, MD

Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Cardiovascular Research Foundation^®, TCT^® 2025 Program Director

Congratulations to Dr. Stephan Windecker!

Dr. Windecker has been a pioneering force in advancing interventional cardiovascular medicine across Europe and beyond. A board-certified cardiologist specializing in interventional cardiology with a focus on transcatheter heart valve interventions, Dr. Windecker is Chairman of the Department of Cardiology at the Cardiovascular Center Bern, University Hospital Bern, Inselspital, Switzerland. He is Professor of Medicine at the University of Bern and also holds the position of Vice-Dean for Clinical Affairs at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Bern.

Dr. Windecker’s research has been instrumental in shaping the field — particularly in the evaluation of intracoronary devices and drugs for coronary artery disease, antithrombotic therapy for patients undergoing cardiac device implantation, and minimally invasive transcatheter interventions for aortic, mitral, and tricuspid valve disease. His extensive body of work includes more than 1000 original peer-reviewed publications and over 100 review articles, underscoring his deep commitment to advancing cardiovascular science.

A dedicated leader and collaborator, Dr. Windecker is serving through 2026 as Secretary and Treasurer of the European Society of Cardiology. Previously, as ESC Vice President, he co-chaired the gender policy task force and two cardiovascular roundtables on priorities for device innovation in cardiovascular medicine. Additionally, he has served as an associate editor for several esteemed cardiology journals.

Dr. Windecker’s contributions have been recognized with numerous accolades. The American College of Cardiology honored him with the Simon Dack Award for Outstanding Reviewers in 2020 and the I2-Summit Innovator Award in 2005. He is a Fulbright Scholar and also the recipient of an American Medical Association/Educational Research Fund Award.

His academic journey is equally distinguished. Dr. Windecker is triple-fellowship trained: in interventional cardiology and general cardiology
at the University Hospital Bern, and in cardiac electrophysiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he also completed his residency in internal medicine and earned his MD degree. He holds a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Saarland School of Medicine, Homburg, Germany.