Our Doctors: Jacques G. Losman, MD

Jacques G. Losman, MD, is a native of France, was Valedictorian and Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Brussels Medical School in 1968. At the invitation of Christian Barnard, MD, the renowned heart transplant pioneer, Dr. Losman worked in Capetown, South Africa, from 1970 - 1978.

In 1972, Dr. Losman received the Master of Medicine in Thoracic Surgery, the South African equivalent of Board Certification. He served as a consultant in adult cardiothoracic surgery at the Groote Schuur Hospital and as pediatrics consultant in cardiothoracic surgery at the Red Cross Children's Hospital.

Also, in 1972, Dr. Losman became head of the Heart Transplant program and the Director of the University of Capetown Research Laboratory. Dr. Losman was instrumental in developing the heterotopic heart transplant model that uses a donor heart to assist rather than replace a failing heart.

David B. Skinner, MD, Chairman of Surgery of the University of Chicago invited Dr. Losman to initiate its heart transplant program in 1979. Dr. Losman joined the staff of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark in 1984 and performed the first 15 heart transplants in New Jersey. In the last 15 years, Dr. Losman has performed more than 1000 major cardiac and thoracic operations, and has participated with other surgeons in nearly 4000 heart operations.

The author of more than 100 articles, abstracts, and book chapters, Dr. Losman is a founding member of the International Society of Heart Transplantation as well as founder and first editor of that society's Journal of Heart Transplantation, from 1981 - 1986. Dr. Losman also holds membership in 30 additional scientific societies.

While pursuing his private practice in thoracic surgery, Dr. Losman joined the staff of the Center for Wound Healing & Hyperbaric Medicine in 2002.