SPEAKERS
INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Professor Akhilesh K. Sista
New York, USA
Akhilesh K. Sista, MD FSIR FAHA, is a Professor of Radiology (Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology) at the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, NY. Dr. Sista's clinical and research expertise lies in the medical and endovascular treatment of venous thromboembolic disease (VTE).
He has authored or co-authored > 100 publications, and has given > 250 lectures at national and international conferences. He served as the national Principal Investigator of the PE-TRACT trial of catheter-directed therapy for PE, funded by the National Institutes of Health from 2022-2025. He also served on the Steering Committee and co-chaired the intervention subcommittee of the C-TRACT trial from 2019-2025. He chaired the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) Foundation’s Research Consensus Panel on Submassive Pulmonary Embolism in December 2015.
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He was the National Principal Investigator for Penumbra, Inc.’s multicenter (22 sites) prospective trial (N=119) of the Indigo CAT-8 thromboaspiration device for submassive PE (EXTRACT-PE), and was the co-National PI for the multicenter RESCUE study (N=120) of the Bashir Endovascular Catheter for submassive PE. He co-chaired the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Statement on Interventional Therapy for Pulmonary Embolism. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Society of Interventional Radiology and is currently chair of the AHA’s Vascular Imaging and Interventions subcommittee. He was awarded the 2018 Mark A. Creager prize for research excellence by the Society of Vascular Medicine and has been recognized as a Fellow of both the Society of Interventional Radiology (FSIR) and the American Heart Association (FAHA).
Professor Jin Woo Choi
Seoul, South Korea
Dr. Jin Woo Choi is a Clinical Associate Professor of Radiology at Seoul National University College of Medicine, South Korea. His clinical expertise focuses on vascular and interventional radiology, particularly radioembolization and chemoembolization for liver cancer, liver transplantation–related procedures, and portal hypertension. He is also a pioneering figure in musculoskeletal embolization in Korea.
Dr. Choi’s research focuses on advancing interventional treatments for liver cancer, developing innovative nanotechnology-based devices, and expanding musculoskeletal embolization. His studies have accumulated about 2,000 citations, and he currently leads seven clinical trials as principal investigator. His work earned the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (JVIR) Editor’s Award for Distinguished Clinical Study (2021) and the Editor’s Award for Outstanding Laboratory Investigator (2023). He has been recognized multiple times as a Distinguished or Top Reviewer and now serves as an Associate Editor of JVIR.
Professor Marc Sapoval
Paris, France
Professor Marc Sapoval is Professor of Radiology at Université Paris Cité and Department Head of Vascular and Oncological interventional radiology at Hôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou in Paris, France. He completed his medical training and PhD in Paris and has held senior academic and clinical leadership roles for more than three decades at one of Europe’s leading centres for endovascular and interventional care. He is co-founder and program director at GEST.
Professor Sapoval is internationally recognised for his contributions to vascular and interventional radiology, with particular expertise in peripheral arterial disease, embolization techniques, renal and visceral interventions, and image-guided therapies. He has played a pivotal role in advancing evidence-based practice in endovascular medicine, serving as principal investigator or steering committee member for numerous landmark multicentre trials.
A prolific academic, Professor Sapoval has authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters and has contributed to international clinical guidelines. He is a highly sought-after speaker and educator, known for his clarity, critical appraisal of evidence, and ability to translate innovation into real-world clinical practice. He has held multiple leadership roles within major European and international interventional radiology societies and remains deeply committed to research, education, and mentorship.