Dr. James Abel is Assistant Director of the Cardiac Surgery Division, Co-Director of the Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit at St. Paul's Hospital and a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of B.C., Division of Cardiovascular Surgery. He graduated from University of Toronto with a Masters in pharmacology as well as an MD. A cardiovascular surgeon at St. Paul's since 1993, his special areas of interest include mitral (heart) valve repair surgery, complex surgical procedures to help patients with severe heart failure avoid the need for a heart transplant, and surgical procedures to cure atrial fibrillation, a common irregularity of the heartbeat. Dr. Abel has been involved in clinical quality improvement initiatives in the program, and numerous research studies and publications over the past two decades.