Leslie Miller, M.D., Joins Okyanos Heart Institute Medical Advisory Council

FREEPORT, BAHAMAS, August 11, 2012 (Press-News.org) Okyanos Heart Institute (http://www.okyanos.com/), which brings a new standard of care and a better quality of life to patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) using cardiac cell therapy, has announced the expansion of its medical advisory council with the addition of Leslie Miller, M.D., FACC. Dr. Miller, chairman of the department of cardiovascular medicine at the University of South Florida (USF) and director/CEO of the USF Cardiovascular Clinical and Research Integrated Strategic Program, is a renowned cardiologist, specifically in the areas of heart failure and transplant. Miller previously served as the director of the cardiac programs at Georgetown University School of Medicine, Georgetown University Hospital and Washington Hospital Center. Prior to that, he was a professor and director of the cardiovascular division at the University of Minnesota. Over the course of his medical career, Miller has served as an investigator in more than 80 clinical trials, and one of his research foci has been the use of adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. As a member of the medical advisory council, Miller will provide extensive insight on heart failure and the mechanisms by which cardiac cell therapy can assist in the improvement of heart function and the repair of heart damage.

The Okyanos Medical Advisory Council serves as a leadership council to provide medical guidelines and innovation in cardiac cell therapy and to further assist Okyanos Heart Institute in providing the highest standard of care to patients with chronic coronary artery disease.

QUOTES:
"A key opinion leader in heart failure and stem cell therapy, Dr. Miller brings a unique expertise to the Okyanos Medical Advisory Council," said Howard T. Walpole Jr., M.D., MBA, FACC, FACAI, FSCAI and chief medical officer for Okyanos Heart Institute. "Dr. Miller's extensive background and knowledge in addressing the issue of heart failure will complement and enhance Okyanos Heart Institute's ability to provide safe and effective treatment to our patients."

"Dr. Miller offers a deep body of scientific knowledge and clinical experience to Okyanos Heart Institute's efforts to bring a new standard of care and a better quality of life to CAD patients," said Matt Feshbach, co-founder and CEO of Okyanos Heart Institute. "His contributions to cardiac cell therapy research and application have been important to the advancement of this emerging field, and we are honored to have his participation on the Okyanos Medical Advisory Council."

"I am pleased to participate in the Okyanos Medical Advisory Council and work alongside recognized medical leaders committed to providing a new standard of care and a better quality of life for CAD patients," said Miller. "Further, I look forward to helping to advance the Okyanos cardiac cell therapy treatment to best serve chronic coronary artery disease patients who have received maximal benefits from conventional therapies."

NEW MEDIA CONTENT:
Okyanos LinkedIn page:
http://www.linkedin.com/company/okyanos-heart-institute

Okyanos Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/OKYANOS

Okyanos Twitter page:
https://twitter.com/#!/OkyanosHeart

ABOUT OKYANOS HEART INSTITUTE:
Based in Freeport, The Bahamas, the Okyanos Heart Institute is a Center of Excellence (CoE) adhering to U.S. surgical center standards and led by Chief Medical Officer Howard T. Walpole Jr., M.D., MBA, FACC, FACAI, FSCAI, a leader of the American College of Cardiology for many years. The mission of Okyanos Heart Institute is to bring a new standard of care and a better quality of life to patients with chronic coronary artery disease using cardiac cell therapy. The Okyanos treatment utilizes cardiac cell therapy, a unique blend of stem and regenerative cells to support the growth of new blood vessels and to assist the heart in repairing tissue damaged by heart attack and disease. The Greek god of rivers, "Okyanos" symbolizes the primary mechanism of action that these adult stem cells have on ischemic (lack of blood flow) heart tissue, the result of the plaque deposits in the coronary arteries. The stem cells, derived from a person's adipose (fat) tissue, create new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. These cells facilitate blood flow in the heart and intake and use of oxygen, as measured by a rigorous clinical trial known as the PRECISE trial, as well as cardiac cell therapy trials at leading research institutions. For more information, visit http://www.okyanos.com/.

Anjelica Cummings
MMI Public Relations
(919) 233-6600
anjelica@mmipublicrelations.com
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http://www.mmipublicrelations.com