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Toni Harris Thorpe, 919/515-1451

Nov. 4, 2004

Pioneering Heart Surgeon to Deliver Public Lecture at NC State

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dr. Levi Watkins Jr.

Dr. Levi Watkins Jr., the first person to perform a human implantation of the automatic defibrillator, will deliver a public lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room (Room 126) of the African-American Cultural Center, which is located in Witherspoon Student Center on the North Carolina State University campus.

The event is free and open to the public. A reception will follow Watkins’ address. Witherspoon Student Center is located at the corner of Cates Avenue and Dan Allen Drive.

Watkins currently serves as associate dean and professor of cardiac surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In 1966, he became the first black student admitted to the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and later became the first African-American graduate of that institution.

In 1970 he went to Johns Hopkins Hospital as a surgical intern and in 1978 became the first black chief resident in cardiac surgery at that institution. He interrupted his surgical training between 1973 and 1975 to develop his research interest at the Harvard Medical School Department of Physiology. There he defined the role of the renin-angiotensin system during congestive heart failure. This and other work led to the clinical use of angiotensin blockers in the treatment of congestive heart failure.

After completing residency, he joined the faculty in the Division of Cardiac Surgery at Johns Hopkins. In February 1980, he performed the world’s first human implantation of the automatic implantable defibrillator and subsequently developed several different techniques for the implantation of this device. To date, more than 100,000 lives have been saved with this treatment. He also helped develop the cardiac arrhythmia service at Johns Hopkins in which various new open-heart techniques are now being performed to treat patients at risk of sudden cardiac death. His interest in coronary heart disease in blacks led to his research in that area.

Watkins’ lecture is part of the NC State African-American Cultural Center’s 2004-05 program series titled “African-American Creative Genius: Changing the Landscape of Society.”

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