History & Purpose of ISCMF

History of ISCMF

The International Society of Cardiomyopathy and Heart Failure (ISCHF) was established in 2007 in Kyoto, Japan. The ISCHF has held regional and international congresses and established working groups and task forces to facilitate much-needed cooperative research among our members and other societies in the field of cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Networking programs have been initiated, such as the ‘‘Global Network on Myocarditis”, and the “Global Alert and Response Network of Hepatitis C Virus-derived Heart Diseases”, in order to define the scope of the problem and implement preventive and therapeutic strategies. At the General Assembly held on December 3,  2016 a change of the name of ISCHF to the International Society of Cardiomyopathy, Myocarditis and Heart Failure (ISCMF) was proposed and approved. Myocarditis was added to the name because a need was identified for “myocarditis” to be recognized more widely and to encourage research on myocarditis.

Purpose of ISCMF

The purpose of the ISCMF is to encourage and promote the advancement of scientific knowledge of cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, and heart failure in all aspects of research and its application, both theoretical and clinical, related to all aspects of cardiomyopathy including: dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive, arrhythmogenic right ventricular, and non-classified cardiomyopathies; myocarditis and pericarditis; specific heart muscle diseases; and heart failure of any other cause. Because of its interrelation with myocardial diseases, the society also focuses on pericardial disorders including their etiology, pathophysiology, as well as clinical and therapeutic aspects. The ISCMF is interested in all aspects of the pathophysiology of cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, and heart failure at the molecular, cellular, whole organ, and patient level.

The purpose of the ISCMF is to clarify the etiology of cardiomyopathies, myocarditis, pericardial diseases and heart failure, to study the prevalence of the etiology(ies), and to establish preventive and therapeutic models based on these etiologies. It covers all methodological aspects both in vitro and in vivo, e.g., molecular, genetic, immunopathogenetic, and virological techniques. It also focuses on the clinical manifestations, the diagnostic procedures, and all aspects of treatment, including physical, medical, and gene therapy, in the field of cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, pericarditis and heart failure.

Furthermore, the ISCMF encourages, promotes, and organizes international scientific activities through publications, symposia, workshops, and seminars. The ISCMF will establish task forces to promote certain aspects of research related to cardiomyopathy, myocarditis and heart failure including registries, multicenter research projects, and treatment trials.

The ISCMF encourages, promotes, and organizes postgraduate training and the international exchange of investigators, fellows, students, and teachers. The ISCMF will promote research and continuing education in related areas of heart disease.

Message from Society President 

Dear Colleagues,

We are proud to announce the formation of the International Society of Cardiomyopathy , Myocarditis, and Heart Failure (ISCMF).

The ISCMF promises to be an active organization, holding an international congress and regional conferences, and establishing working groups and task forces to facilitate much-needed cooperative research in these fields. Importantly, we desire to facilitate collaboration between our members worldwide and other related groups and societies in the fields of cardiomyopathy and heart failure.

We intend to promote and encourage the advancement of scientific knowledge of cardiomyopathy, myocarditis and heart failure, and clarify the etiology of these diseases and promote and organize scientific activities through publications, symposia, workshops, and seminars, and actively participate in other congresses. Plans for activities include establishing task forces for specific research areas including registries, multicenter research projects, and treatment trials.

Cardiomyopathy and myocarditis are important causes of heart failure, which is a leading global health problem. However, they are often underrecognized because the diagnosis is sometimes difficult. Cardiomyopathy and myocarditis are a heterogeneous myocardial disorder with multifactorial etiologies including genetic anomalies and acquired immune pathogenetic factors, such as viral or other infectious agents. To develop methods of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these diseases we must work to clarify the etiology of cardiomyopathy, myocarditis and heart failure.

We invite you to join with us as we work to clarify the prevalence and etiology of cardiomyopathy, myocarditis and heart failure, establish diagnostic criteria, and develop standardized detection and preventive methods. A future goal is to use this knowledge to create training programs to educate physicians on the detection and treatment of patients, especially in underprivileged regions of the world.

Akira Matsumori, MD, PhD, FACC, FAHA, FESC, FAPSC

Executive Board

Akira Matsumori, MD, PhD

President

Visiting Director, Division of Clinical Research Center                            

National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center

Kyoto, Japan

Leslie Cooper, Jr, MD

Vice President

Chair of the Mayo Clinic Enterprise Department of Cardiovascular Medicine

Mayo Clinic

Jacksonville, Florida, USA

Peter Liu, MD

Vice President

Chief Scientific Officer and Vice President of Research

University of Ottawa Heart Institute

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Koji Hasegawa, MD

Secretary

Director, Division of Translational Research

National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center

Kyoto, Japan

Toshio Shimada MD, PhD

Treasurer

Director of Clinical Research Center                 

Shizuoka General Hospital

Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan

Honorary Members, Consultant Members and Scientific Advisory Board Members

Honorary Members

• Cheng- Wen Chiang, MD

• Shigetake Sasayama, MD

• Shahryar Sheikh, MD

• David Kelly, MD

• Mario Maranhao, MD

• Soichiro Kitamura, MD

• Yasumi Uchida, MD

• Chuichi Kawai, MD

• Antonio Bayes de Luna, MD

Consultant Members

• Toru Izumi, MD

• Steven Tracy, PhD

• Jeffery A. Towbin, MD

• Hany Negm, MD

• Andre Keren, MD

• Bernhard Maisch, MD

Scientific Advisory Board Members

• W.H.Wilson Tang, MD

• Akira Ukimura, MD

• Hideaki Yoshino, MD

• Tsutomu Imaizumi, MD

• Mitsuaki Isobe, MD

• Tohru Masuyama, MD

• Hiroshi Nonogi, MD

• Bambang Siswanto, MD

• Yasuki Kihara, MD

• Mark Richards, MD

• DeLisa Fairweather, PhD

• Mohammad Haykal, MD

• Shunichi Miyazaki, MD

• Kenji Sunagawa, MD

• Yoichi Goto, MD

• Takashi Konishi, MD

• Bruce McManus, MD

• Cheuk-Man Yu, MD

• Tatsuya Morimoto, MD

• Keiichi Fukuda, MD

• Heinz-Peter Schultheiss, MD

• Michiaki Hiroe, MD