Stella Van Praagh | |
|---|---|
| Born | Stella Zacharioudaki March 18, 1927 |
| Died | June 3, 2006 (aged 79) |
| Education | University of Athens, Johns Hopkins |
| Years active | 1952-2002 |
| Medical career | |
| Profession | Pediatric Cardiologist |
| Field | Pediatric Cardiology, Pathology |
| Institutions | Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Children's Hospital Boston |
Stella Van Praagh was a pediatric cardiologist and pathologist at Children's Hospital Boston. She was internationally known for her contributions to the pathology of congenital heart disease. [1] [2] [3]
Stella Van Praagh was born in Rethymnon, Crete, Greece. [1] She graduated from the School of Medicine at the University of Athens in 1952 and undertook further training in pediatric cardiology at Johns Hopkins where she worked with Helen Taussig. [2]
In 1962, she moved to Children's Hospital of Buffalo as a pediatric cardiologist and research associate. There, she met Richard Van Praagh, and the two were married shortly afterwards, beginning a lifelong personal and professional partnership. [1] In 1965, both Van Praaghs moved to Boston Children's Hospital where they worked until their retirements in 2002. [1] [2]
Stella and Richard Van Praagh were world-renowned pediatric cardiologists and pathologists. They proposed a new approach to formalize anatomic descriptions of congenital heart disease, which forms the basis of much of the current standard understanding. [3] Specific examples include Truncus Arteriosus, [4] sinus venosus atrial septal defect, [5] and heterotaxy syndrome. [6]