Favaloro University - History

History

In the beginning, René Favaloro did his medical practice in the Sanatorio Güemes. Later, he realized that an investigation group of his own was necessary. In 1974 he commended Dr. Ricardo Pichel (current Favaloro University rector) for the birth and development of this new area. In 1978, the Newspapers & Magazines Distributors Society (SDDRA) made possible the beginning of investigation and teaching activities. For many years, Favaloro financed investigation costs with his own resources. In 1980 the Teaching and Investigation Department of Favaloro University was founded with Pichel in the lead. Later that year in the Favaloro Foundation, with the collaboration of the Artificial Organs Department of Utah University (with Willem Kolf in charge), the first artificial heart was implanted in a calf. Between 1980 and 1982 sixteen more hearts were implanted in calves.

At the same time Dr. Peter Willshaw, a Favaloro Foundation investigator, developed (in collaboration with Utah University) a measuring device called COMDU (Cardiac Output Monitoring and Diagnostic Unit) which improved artificial heart flux measurement. This device was then used worldwide for investigation and development purposes.

The artificial heart project was then abandoned due to excessive costs. Nevertheless, the acquired equipment made many basic investigation lines in chronically instrumented animals possible, thus an ideal methodology to study the circulatory system. Months later Drs. Alberto Crotoggini, Juan Barra, Pichel and Willshaw made important contributions to the comprehension of heart and circulatory system mechanisms. The agreement signed with California University in 1983 meant a big improvement in ventricular function investigations. That same year Biology Graduates Jorge Negroni and Elena Lascano joined the investigation field and started their work in mathematical models for cardiac function comprehension next to Dr. Edmundo Cabrera Fischer, in charge of arterial function physiology.

Favaloro always supported and collaborated with investigators. He was convinced that without investigation (specifically basic investigation) further development in medicine was impossible: With this idea in mind the Department of Teaching and Investigation and the Division of Basic Investigation turned into the University Institute of Biomedical Sciences and the Institute of Basic Science Investigations, respectively.

Nowadays, the major part of teaching and investigation activities of the Favaloro Foundation is done in the Favaloro University.