The Marfan Foundation and Stanford Medicine Collaborate on the Northern California Regional Symposium:
Living Better with Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, and VEDS

by Stanford CT Surgery Marketing Team
April 25, 2025

Stanford Medicine recently partnered with the Marfan Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness and promoting research on the treatment of Marfan syndrome and other connective tissue disorders, to host the Northern California Regional Symposium at Stanford on Saturday, April 5, 2025.

The symposium featured a full-day educational program designed for individuals and families living with Marfan syndrome, Williams syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (VEDS), and other related syndromes. Session topics covered cardiovascular imaging, exercise, pediatric and adult surgery, pain management, eye health, aging, genetics, emerging therapies, and more.

“One of the key highlights this year was the strength of collaboration—both among Stanford’s multidisciplinary teams and with the Marfan Foundation. Events like this symposium are vital in connecting patients and families with the latest knowledge and resources to help them live better with these conditions,” said Michael Fischbein, MD, PhD, the Thelma and Henry Doelger Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery with the Stanford Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and one of the Stanford symposium organizers, along with Claudia Algaze, MD, and Mirela Tuzovic, MD.

On the pediatrics side, experts in cardiovascular connective tissue disorders, including cardiothoracic surgery faculty Elisabeth Martin, MD, Surgical Director of the Pulmonary Artery Reconstruction Program and cardiothoracic surgeon with the Cardiovascular Connective Tissue Disorders Program, shared their valuable insights in treating children with connective tissue disorders. The pediatric Cardiovascular Connective Tissue Disorders Program at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health is the only one of its kind on the West Coast and one of a few in the United States to offer holistic, multidisciplinary care from dozens of experts, including cardiothoracic surgeons.

Stanford presenters included (speaker lineup):

●      Claudia Algaze, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics (Cardiology)

●      Mirela Tuzovic, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine)

●      Michael Fischbein, MD, PhD, Professor, Cardiothoracic Surgery

●      Elisabeth Martin, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Cardiothoracic Surgery

●      Jason T. Lee, MD, Professor, Surgery (Vascular Surgery)

●      James Policy, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery

●      Genevieve D’Souza, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Anesthesiology

●      Allan Reiss, MD, Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, and of Radiology

●      Ann Shue, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology

●      Joshua Spin, MD, PhD, Clinical Associate Professor, Medicine (Cardiovascular Medicine)

●      Suha Bachir, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Pediatrics (Medical Genetics)

●      Mitchel Parliani, Clinical Assistant Professor (Affiliated), Pediatrics ( Genetics)

●      Albert “AJ” Pedroza, MD, Resident, Cardiothoracic Surgery

Healthcare providers, patients, and families were all welcomed at this educational and networking event, which drew more than 120 attendees.

Thank you to the Marfan Foundation and Stanford Medicine team for co-hosting this phenomenal event.