Abbas Ardehali, MD
Dr. Abbas Ardehali is a professor of surgery and medicine in the division of cardiothoracic surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Ardehali was selected as the 2017 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations. Dr. Ardehali has been a leader in implementing new technologies to advance the field of heart and lung transplantation, with a depth of experience to manage complex cases that other transplant centers cannot. His professional accomplishments include a role in developing an innovative technology for transporting human heart and lungs in a beating or breathing state; and a patent on technology to improve the care of patients with end-stage lung disease. He is a prolific volunteer on committees for the United Network for Organ Sharing and scientific organizations with leadership positions at the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation, American Society of Transplant Surgeons, American Association of Thoracic Surgery and Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Honors and awards include a Resolution of Commendation by the California State Assembly, and the Breath of Life Award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Dr. Ardehali has been a faculty member at UCLA since 1997 and served as the Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at West Los Angeles Veterans Hospital from 1998 to 2012. He has authored numerous educational materials and more than 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts and abstracts. Dr. Ardehali has appeared on ABC News, the Associated Press, CNN, Fox News, NBC News, CBS News, “The Doctor’s Show,” and Al Jazeera America. He completed his fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at UCLA and his internal medicine residency at the University of California, C San Francisco. He obtained a master’s degree in public health at UC Berkeley; a medical degree at Emory University School of Medicine (;Atlanta,GA) and both a master’s degree in chemical and biochemical engineering and an undergraduate degree in biology and biochemistry, from Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ).
