European Perspectives in Cardiology European Perspectives in Cardiology

uc A. Pierard, MD, PhD, professor of medicineat the University of Liege, Belgium, and head ofcardiology at the University Hospital Sart Tilman,Liege, is best known for his pioneering studies on therole of dobutamine echocardiography for detectingmyocardial ischaemia and viability. In addition, heestablishedtheimportanceofexerciseechocardiography inischaemic mitral regurgitation and asymptomatic aorticstenosis.Born in the south of Belgium to 2 secondary schoolteachers, Pierard enrolled as a medical student at theUniversity of Liege at the age of 16. After graduation in1975, he underwent a 5-year training period in internalmedicine and cardiology and then moved to therenowned Thoraxcentre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands,on a postgraduate fellowship with Paul Hugenholtz, MD,PhD.During the 8 months at the Thoraxcentre, Pierardtrained in echocardiography under the direction of JosRoelandt, MD, PhD, where he developed an interest inthe echocardiographic recording of initially healthypeople on exercise. While at the Thoraxcentre, he wasmentored and inspired by Professor Hugenholtz,Professor Roelandt, Patrick Serruys, MD, PhD, andRichard Meltzer, MD, PhD. This experience proved to bea turning point.He recalls, “At that time, I decided to embrace a careerwithin a university hospital environment, not necessarilywith the aim of reaching a high academic position but forthe opportunity to combine the clinical care of patientswith research and teaching, the 3 strands of work that Ivalued most.”