Carl L. Backer MD

Carl L. Backer, MD is the A.C. Buehler Professor of Surgery, Division Head of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgery, and Surgical Director of the Cardiac Transplant Program at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He is a world-renowned pediatric cardiovascular-thoracic surgeon. Dr. Backer specializes in the surgical treatment of congenital heart disease in infants and children and also performs complex re-do procedures in adults.

His primary interests are: adults with congenital heart disease, arrhythmia surgery, heart transplantation, vascular ring surgery, tracheal reconstruction, and pacemakers. He has authored or co-authored over 180 refereed articles, 68 book chapters, and 4 textbooks. He is the co-editor of the 2nd and 3rd editions of the well-known textbook, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. His research incorporates over 40 years of database material from Children's Memorial Hospital. Future research endeavors will focus on cardiac stem cell therapy for pediatric cardiomyopathies.