Dr. Israel Valverde Pérez
Address: Carrer de Sabino Arana, 5, 19, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
Gender: Male
About the Doctor / Professional
Dr. Israel Valverde Pérez is a Pediatric Cardiologist with 20 years of clinical experience and more than a decade of translational research in advanced cardiovascular imaging. He holds doctorates from King’s College London (2012) and the University of Seville (2022, Cum Laude), and is internationally recognised for pioneering the development and clinical implementation of 3D-printed models for surgical and interventional planning in complex congenital heart disease.
His expertise combines advanced clinical practice, including ESC/EACVI-certified Level 3 cardiovascular MRI and echocardiography, with a strong academic and research record comprising more than 150 indexed publications, an h-index of 28–31, two patents, and five consecutive principal-investigator projects funded by Spain’s Instituto de Salud Carlos III.
He currently serves as Head of Pediatric Cardiology at QS Dexeus University Hospital and leads the Pediatric Cardiology service at Instituto Internacional CorAll in Barcelona. He also maintains academic and clinical appointments in Canada at SickKids and the University of Toronto, in Spain at Universidad Loyola Andalucía, and in the United Kingdom at King’s College London.
Degree: Licenciatura en Medicina y Cirugía - University of Seville - 2004
Residency: Hospital Infantil Virgen del Rocío, Seville · sub-specialised in Pediatric Cardiology from 2008
- Head of Pediatric Cardiology, Instituto Internacional CorAll, Hospital Universitari Quirón Dexeus, Barcelona (since 05/2026, permanent contract, primary appointment)
- Staff Cardiologist, Cardiac MRI, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), Toronto (since 05/2023); Section Head, Cardiac MR Program, and Director, 3D Printing Program (2023–2025)
- Full Professor of Medicine, Universidad Loyola Andalucía (since 01/2023)
- Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto (since 12/2022)
- Honorary Senior Lecturer, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London (since 01/2015)
- Head of Pediatric Cardiology Section, Hospital Infantil Virgen del Rocío, Seville (2019–2023)
- Full Professor (Professor Titular), University of Seville (2020–2023)
- Lecturer / Associate Professor, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBIS) / University of Seville (2013–2023)
- Consultant Pediatric Cardiologist, Hospital Infantil Virgen del Rocío, Seville (2012–2019)
- Clinical Research Fellow, Evelina London Children's Hospital / King's College London, pediatric cardiovascular MRI fellowship (2009–2011)
- Pediatric residency, Hospital Infantil Virgen del Rocío, Seville (2005–2009), subspecializing in Pediatric Cardiology from 2008
- Teaching and supervision: Coordinator, Master's in Biomedical Research at IBIS (since 2017); Coordinator of the Cardiology section, Manual Cruz de Pediatría, 4th ed. (2021); doctoral thesis supervision (Cum Laude, 2017) plus postdoctoral mentoring and multiple undergraduate/master's theses (2016–2022); 2,400+ hours of continuing education delivered (2005–2024)
- 2022: Manuel Quero Award for Best Scientific Communication (SECPCC)
- 2021: 6th Award for Young Physician Researchers (Official College of Physicians of Seville)
- 2016: Manuel Quero Award for Best Scientific Communication (SECPCC)
- 2015: Finalist, Young Investigator Award (Basic Science), European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging
- 2015: Winner, Poster Prize Competition, AEPC
- 2014: Best Scientific Communication (SECPCC)
- 2012: Best Scientific Work Award, University of Seville
- 2010: Best Oral Communications Award (SECPCC)
- 2008: Talentia Excellence Grant (€13,000), Regional Ministry for Innovation, Science and Enterprise, Andalusia
- 2007: Runner-up, Best Oral Communication, Spanish Society of Pediatric Intensive Care
- Cardiovascular 3D printing and bioprinting
- Multimodal cardiovascular imaging (4D flow MRI, 3D echocardiography, CT)
- Virtual reality, augmented reality and holography for surgical planning
- Vascular tissue engineering (bioprinted patient-specific patches and grafts)
- Computational hemodynamics (CFD models for aortic coarctation and Fontan circulation)
- Procedural simulation (3D printed phantoms for structural catheterisation training)
- 2022: Tissue engineered in-vitro vascular patch fabrication using hybrid 3D printing and electrospinning (Materials Today Bio), senior author
- 2022: Criss-cross heart 3D printed models in medical education, multicentre study (Anatomical Sciences Education), principal author
- 2021: Acute cardiovascular manifestations in 286 children with MIS-C associated with COVID-19 in Europe (Circulation), principal author
- 2021: Editor, Multimodality Imaging Innovations in Adult Congenital Heart Disease (Springer, 763 pp.)
- 2017: 3D printed models for surgical planning of complex congenital heart defects, international multicentre study (European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery), principal author, ~170 citations
- 2017: 3D printed cardiac models: applications in medical education, cardiovascular surgery and structural heart interventions (Revista Española de Cardiología), sole author, 84 citations
- 2015: 3D patient-specific cardiac model for surgical planning in Nikaidoh procedure (Cardiology in the Young), principal author
- 2011: Cardiovascular MR dobutamine stress in adult Tetralogy of Fallot (Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging), principal author
- 2024: Mixed reality holograms for percutaneous lead extraction of cardiac implantable electronic devices (Virtual Reality)
- Atrial Septal Defect Closure
- Balloon Valvuloplasty
- Cardiac Assessment
- Cardiac MRI
- Cardiology Consultation
- Cardiovascular Diseases
- Congenital Heart Disease
- CT Angiography 64-Slice
- Cyanotic Heart Disease
- Echocardiogram
- Echocardiography
- Surgery for Tetralogy of Fallot
- Tricuspid Atresia Treatment
- Cardio-Vascular & Thoracic Imaging
- MRI Scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
- Cardiology
- Congenital Heart Disease
- Pediatrics Consultation
- Association for European Pediatric and Congenital Cardiology (AEPC), member since 2014
- Spanish Society of Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease (SECPCC), member since 2010; Chair, Cardiac Imaging Working Group (2018–2023)
- Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR / ISMRM), member since 2009
- Spanish Association of Pediatrics, member since 2009
- Expert Evaluator for Health R&D&I projects, Instituto de Salud Carlos III
- Certification Assessor, Cardiovascular MRI in CHD, EACVI (since 2024)
- Regular reviewer for: JACC (since 2010), Circulation and Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging (since 2013), Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (since 2015), Echocardiography (since 2020), International Journal of Diagnostic Imaging (since 2013), European Journal of Neurology (since 2010)
More Information
Patents
- Adjustable pulmonary artery banding device (ES2630732B1), granted 2018
- 3D printed Cath-Lab phantom simulator (P201531432), 2015
Career highlights
- 20+ years in clinical practice
- Recognised internationally as a pioneer in 3D printed models for congenital heart disease
- 150+ indexed publications, 3,900+ citations (Web of Science), 51 Q1 articles, h-index 28–31
- Five consecutive projects as principal investigator funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III
- Media coverage including Canal Sur, RTVE, El Español, TVE and El Mundo (2015–2020)