In his new role, Dr. Sampaio will direct activity within the Cullen Cardiovascular Surgery Research Lab, which is focused on the conception, design and testing of programs and projects related to mechanical circulatory support (heart assist and total artificial heart devices) and associated technologies. Additionally, Dr. Sampaio will continue to serve as the Associate Medical Director of the Regenerative Medicine Research Laboratories at THI.

Dr. Sampaio is a cardiothoracic surgeon who’s work at Texas Heart Institute (THI) began in 1996, when he served as a visiting surgeon for two years working directly with Dr. Denton Cooley. Upon completion of this role in 1998, Dr. Sampaio established a private practice in cardiovascular surgery in his home country Brazil, where he also served as Assistant Professor of Histology (tenure track) and Adjunct Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery at The Federal University of Bahia Medical School. In 2011, Dr. Sampaio returned to THI to establish a new career as a regenerative medicine scientist where he has been working closely with Dr. Doris Taylor who leads THI’s Regenerative Medicine Research Laboratories.

Dr. Sampaio replaces Dr. Billy Cohn, who recently accepted a role with Johnson & Johnson Innovation to lead their newly formed Center for Device Innovation at Texas Medical Center (CDI @ TMC). Dr. Cohn will continue to collaborate with THI through a partnership the Institute established with the CDI @ TMC to help deepen the scope of research currently devoted to surgical medical devices used to treat patients.