+ More Filters

Reset Filters

Title

Funding Organization

Funding Type

Eligible Country

Deadline

Other (Select all that apply)

Show Expired Programs

Show Verified Programs

Not Verified

Francis Fontan Fund--Mitral Valve Repair Fellowship

European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS)

This two‑week fellowship offers a high‑intensity clinical immersion in European centres with extensive expertise in Mitral Valve Repair and Minimally Invasive Techniques. Fellows participate in daily clinical activities, observe a wide range of surgical and transcatheter procedures, and engage in case‑based learning designed to deepen their understanding of patient assessment, imaging, access strategies, cannulation, myocardial protection, and repair planning.

Candidates may choose one of the two participating centres:

Milan – A full‑immersion programme focused on mitral valve repair, including daily multidisciplinary Heart Team meetings, operating room attendance, exposure to 4–6 surgical cases per day plus regular transcatheter procedures, and daily individual case discussions with senior surgeons and imagers.

Innsbruck – A structured curriculum dedicated to endoscopic and minimally invasive mitral valve procedures using 3D visualisation. Fellows join preoperative assessment and selection sessions, observe multiple endoscopic cases, and participate in daily case debriefings as part of a comprehensive case‑based learning approach.

Learning Objectives

Indication and timing of mitral surgery to correct severe mitral regurgitation
Knowledge of the main mitral valve repair techniques
Knowledge of different available surgical approaches
Troubleshooting of the most common valve-related and approach-related complications

Specific Learning Objectives

Mastering tips and tricks to perform an effective durable repair
Identify the most effective repair technique in each proposed anatomical setting
Learning cornerstone of minimally invasive and endoscopic approaches

Syllabus

Indications to mitral valve surgery and why mitral valve repair, when feasible, is a better option if compared with mitral valve replacement: a deep dive into 2021 ESC/EACTS guidelines for valvular heart disease
Pre-operative planning: trans-esophageal echocardiography for cardiac surgeons
Pre-operative planning: the role of cardiac CT scan in patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve repair
Pre-operative planning: the adjunctive role of other techniques (MRI, stress echocardiography…) in selected contexts
Surgical pitfalls in mitral valve repair
How to perform the intra-operative mitral valve analysis
Tips and tricks of mitral valve annuloplasty
How to deal with posterior leaflet pathology
Resect (quadrangular/triangular resection) vs respect approach
Techniques to decrease posterior leaflet height (sliding vs folding vs butterfly)
How to deal with anterior leaflet pathology: neochordal implantation vs edge to edge technique
The challenges of bileaflet prolapse and how to deal with it
Bailout techniques in case of persistent mitral regurgitation after mitral valve repair
Systolic anterior motion (SAM) of anterior mitral leaflet:
– Pre-operative risk factors
– How to prevent SAM during mitral valve repair
– How to treat post-operative SAM (conservative measures vs second pump run)
The effects of mitral valve surgery on ventricular arrhythmias in patients with Barlow’s disease: how to recognise, risk-stratify and treat patients at increased arrhythmic risk

Funding

To help with living and travel costs associated with this Fellowship, we offer a grant of €3,750. EACTS will also provide a bursary towards the cost of your attendance at the 2027 EACTS Annual Meeting.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

Based on EACTS programs and funded research trends:

🥇 1. Strong Cardiothoracic Relevance (Top Predictor)

Must focus on:
- Cardiac surgery
- Thoracic surgery
- Cardiovascular disease

✔ Direct impact on surgical outcomes is essential

🥈 2. Clinical & Surgical Impact

Preference for:
- Studies improving:
  - Surgical techniques
  - Patient outcomes
  - Postoperative care

✔ High success:

Procedure optimization studies

🥉 3. Innovation in Surgical Techniques or Technology

Competitive proposals include:
- Minimally invasive surgery
- Robotic surgery
- Advanced imaging integration

4. Feasibility & Practical Application

Many grants are:
- Pilot or short-term

✔ Winning proposals:

Achievable within clinical settings

5. Early Career Surgeon Support

Many opportunities target:
- Trainees
- Junior surgeons

✔ Predictor:

Strong mentorship and institutional backing

6. Use of Clinical Data / Registries

Preferred:
- Patient cohorts
- Surgical registries

✔ Real-world evidence strengthens proposals

7. Collaboration & Multicenter Studies

Strong proposals often involve:
- Multiple centers

✔ Improves generalizability and impact

8. Clear Outcomes & Measurable Endpoints

Must include:
- Mortality/morbidity
- Complication rates
- Functional outcomes

🧪 Common Funded Research Areas

Valve surgery
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
Aortic surgery
Lung cancer surgery
Minimally invasive and robotic surgery
Postoperative outcomes and recovery

⚠️ Common Reasons for Rejection

Weak surgical relevance
Lack of clinical impact
Poor study design
Overly ambitious scope
No measurable outcomes

🧠 Bottom Line (Key Predictors Ranked)

Direct relevance to cardiothoracic surgery
Clinical/surgical impact
Innovation in surgical techniques
Feasible and practical design
Use of clinical data
Strong mentorship (early-career grants)

Specialties

Cardiothoracic Surgery

Eligibility Requirements

In order to apply for this fellowship there are some essential criteria you must meet:

The applicant should be a trainee in the last 2 years of training who demonstrates an in depth understanding of general cardiothoracic surgery
Be an EACTS member with up-to-date membership payment
Be fluent in English

Applicants who possess the following desirable criteria would be of particular interest:

A highly motivated individual who has engaged with EACTS and demonstrates potential that will be useful in his institutional and wider practice

In order to complete your application, you must submit the following documents*:

Letter of support from applicant’s home institution
Letter of interest (detailing how you are able to apply the skills and knowledge obtained during the Fellowship in your own centre)
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Operative experience

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS)

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: EACTS House Madeira Walk Windsor SL4 1EU United Kingdom

Legal & Affiliation Disclaimer

Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.

Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.

Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.

Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.

Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.

Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.

Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.

View Funding Opportunity