Mussivand was Chair and Director of the Cardiovascular Units Program on the College of Ottawa Coronary heart Institute for greater than 30 years
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Tofigh “Tofy” Mussivant spent 30 years because the chair and director of the cardiovascular gadgets program on the College of Ottawa Coronary heart Institute, gaining nationwide and worldwide accolades alongside the way in which.
He was a PhD in biomedical engineering, a member of the Royal Society of Canada and served as an adviser to prime ministers. In Ottawa, he was finest identified for his function within the high-profile quest to develop a man-made coronary heart.
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However in interviews later in life, Mussivand typically recalled his youth as a shepherd within the highlands of his native Iranian Kurdistan, studying to learn and write by the sunshine of a kerosene lamp.
“At night time we used to go on the roof of the homes in the summertime and stare on the stars. I ask, ‘Why is that, why am I right here, what’s my function?’” he instructed Postmedia in an interview in 2010.
“I used to be bothering my father with these questions, however he didn’t know. Finally, he acquired uninterested in me asking … He put me in a college.”
Mussivand died Jan. 7 after a prolonged sickness.
In a press release, the College of Ottawa Coronary heart Institute recalled a passionate and adorned chief, downside solver, educator, humanitarian and innovator who prominently positioned Ottawa and Canada within the fields of medical gadgets, together with synthetic hearts as a therapy for coronary heart failure.
“Dr. Mussivand can be remembered for his contributions to science, expertise and medication, a lot of which have formed the current and way forward for medical gadgets and offered main impacts on well being care globally.”
Mussivand got here to Canada in 1964, transferring to Edmonton to attend the College of Alberta for a grasp’s diploma in engineering. He would later recall that he knew solely two phrases of English —”sure” and “no” — and acquired a job as a dishwasher.
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When Mussivand graduated, he turned an government with a utility firm. He constructed and misplaced an actual property empire after rates of interest went by way of the roof.
His Canadian spouse, Dixy Lee, was a doctor and Mussivand was fascinated by her medical textbooks. He wished to be taught extra in regards to the human physique. He earned a doctorate in medical engineering and medical sciences on the College of Akron and Northeastern Ohio Universities Faculty of Medication.
At the Cleveland Clinic Hospital and Analysis Basis, Mussivand started investigating a brand new idea for a completely implantable synthetic coronary heart, remotely powered, remotely monitored, with no wires or tubes.
He was lured again to Canada in 1989 by coronary heart surgeon Dr. Wilbert Keon, the founding father of the Coronary heart Institute in Ottawa, who wished his crew to construct a prototype implantable electrohydraulic ventricular help machine, often known as an EVAD.
In 1996, Rod Bryden, founding father of Systemhouse and former proprietor of the Ottawa Senators, shaped WorldHeart Company with the College of Ottawa Coronary heart Institute and Corel founder Michael Cowpland, with Mussivand as chairman and chief scientist.
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“An Ottawa crew is in a fierce race to supply a man-made coronary heart. If it wins, the prize can be enormous: a worldwide market value billions of {dollars},” mentioned a 1997 article within the Canadian Medical Affiliation Journal.
“The crew, led by Dr. Tofy Mussivand, brings collectively scientists and entrepreneurs. The purpose is to supply a coronary heart that improves sufferers’ high quality of life and doesn’t go away them tethered to a machine in hospital.”
The plan was to finish scientific exams by 2000 and have a industrial product prepared a yr or two later.
“We have now to seize and maintain the market to achieve success,” Keon instructed the Canadian Medical Affiliation Journal. “One in all our opponents may get there first.”
However there have been technical setbacks and a scarcity of Canadian buyers and WorldHeart struggled to be worthwhile earlier than departing Ottawa for Utah in 2004.
Mussivand would later say the downside was not the WorldHeart expertise as a result of key elements have been nonetheless getting used underneath licensing agreements.
“The downside was a scarcity of funding at key factors to maintain forward of the competitors. Patents will not be sufficient. It takes an amazing quantity of capital to finance growth of latest gadgets.“
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In 2012, HeartWare Worldwide, Inc., which produces miniaturized circulatory help applied sciences, introduced it had closed the acquisition of WorldHeart.
Mussivand was curious, impatient and indefatigable. He routinely labored from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
“I by no means hand over. The more durable it turns into, the extra thrilling it turns into to me,” he mentioned.
The WorldHeart disappointment led Mussivand to champion the event of a medical gadgets business in Canada. He established the Medical Units Commercialization Centre, a community of medical gadgets stakeholders, to develop and commercialize gadgets for the worldwide market.
Mussivand famous that Canada was a small nation, population-wise. Good issues occur in Canada, however applied sciences ultimately find yourself some other place, he mentioned. “I’m not in opposition to that, however I’m saddened as a result of a few of these issues may deliver jobs and income to Canada.“
He was additionally grateful to Canada. There have been makes an attempt to recruit him again to the U.S., however Mussivand mentioned he was “monogamous.”
“Solely in Canada some shepherd boy like me may come and get this chance,” he mentioned.
Mussivand is survived by his spouse, Dixy Lee, youngsters David Troy and Lailee June and grandson Spencer.
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