Kestutis Rucinskas

Education, Qualification and Professional Experience Record: Since 2015 Professor of Vilnius University Cardiovascular Diseases Clinic, Head of Heart and Thoracic Surgery Centre of Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos 2009 Habilitation procedure (Professorship procedure) 2001 Assoc. Professor, Vilnius University, Doctor of Medical Science. Dissertation “The Role of Antifibrinolytic Drugs in Cardiac Surgery” 1988-2005 Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Clinics, cardiac surgeon Vilnius University Heart Surgery Centre, Heart Transplant Sector, Scientific researcher 1982-1988 Vilnius University, Medical Faculty, physician, surgeon Membership of professional bodies: Society of Lithuanian Cardiothoracic Surgeons Lithuanian Cardiologists Society CTS Net (Cardiothoracic Surgery Network) Member of the Board of the Lithuanian Society of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgeons Member of the Board of the Lithuanian Association of Intensive Cardiology and Emergency Medicine Member of the CTS Net (Cardiothoracic Surgery Network) Member of the Lithuanian Society of Cardiologists Member of the Lithuanian Heart Association Member of the Board of the European Association for Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) Postgraduate qualification: 2013 5th Training Course for Minimally Invasive Valve Surgery FOCUS: Valve Innsbruck, Austria. 2011 International Course of ECMO and short term circulatory/respiratory support. Paris, France. 2010 (1 month) Traineeship at Department of Adult Heart Surgery, FTGM G. Pasquinucci Hospital, Massa Italy. 2008 Harefield VAD clinical Management course. 3rd - 5th November 2008. Gerrards, Cross, UK. 2007 Thoratec HeartMate II Training. Utrecht, Holland. 2004 European Surgical Institute in Hamburg – Norderstedt (Germany). Minimally invasive operating techniques in thoracic surgery medical training course. 2001 (1 month) Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at the University Kiel (Prof. Dr. J. Cremer). 2000 (1 month) Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery of Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin (Prof. Dr. R.Hetzer). 2000 (1 month) Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at the J.W.Goethe University Frankfurt (Prof. Dr. A.Moritz). 1993-1994 (7 month) Hannover Medical School. Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (Prof. Dr. H.Borst) (ESOT-SANDOZ grant y. 1993). Participation in EU and non-EU biomedical research projects (2015-2020) 1. THE ANGIOSHIELD STUDY: Feasibility Study to Demonstrate the Safety of the Angioshield System to Provide Mechanical Support for Vein Grafts Used in CABG Surgery. (2015-2018). Researcher. 2. ENRAPTUS Epicardial Mitral Touch System for Mitral Insufficiency, 2020-2021. Principal investigator. 3. Lithuanian research Council project No. S-MIP-17-13. “Research of regenerative potential and mechanoptosis of primary cardiospheres of human heart muscle”. Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Clinic, Heart and Chest Surgery Center is participating in the project; State Research Institute Center for Physical and Technological Sciences; University of Haiderberg, Germany (2017-2020). Researcher. 4. Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Clinic of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases, research topic “New treatment technologies for structural heart diseases and arrhythmias” (2014-2024). Researcher. 5. Post-Market Surveillance Registry for the NeoChord DS1000. 2016-2018. Researcher. 6. ACCUCINCH studio. A Study of Percutaneous Repair of Functional Mitral Regurgitation Using the Ancora Heart, Inc. AccuCinch® Ventricular Repair System - The CINCH-2 Study. (2008-2021). Researcher. 7. ACCUCINCH studio. Safety and Performance Evaluation of the AccuCinch® Ventricular Repair System for the Treatment of Heart Failure With or Without Functional Mitral Regurgitation Due to Dilated Ischemic or Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy - The CorCinch-EU Study. (2019-2027). Researcher. List of project funding applications submitted over the past 5 years: 1. Innovative non-invasive technologies for neuroprotection in cardiac surgery, neurosurgery and ophthalmology, Lithuania (2020-2023). This research project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund according to the 2014–2020 Operational Program for the European Union Funds’ Investments under measure No. 01.2.2-CPVA-K-703 “Strengthening of Activities of Competence Centers and Innovation and Technology Transfer Centers’ “. Project manager. 2. Lithuanian research Council project No. S-MIP-17-13. “Research of regenerative potential and mechanoptosis of primary cardiospheres of human heart muscle”. Researcher. Publications: 176 scientific publications 2013 Officer’s Cross of Gediminas Order of the Great Duchy of Lithuania