Dr. James B. Young is a distinguished cardiologist and internationally recognized expert in heart failure and cardiac transplantation who currently serves as Emeritus Executive Director at Cleveland Clinic and Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. A graduate of Baylor College of Medicine in 1974, he completed his residency in internal medicine and cardiology fellowship at the Affiliated Hospitals of Baylor College of Medicine before establishing himself as a leading authority in advanced heart failure management. He began his influential tenure at Cleveland Clinic in 1995 after serving as Clinical Coordinator and Scientific Director of Michael E. DeBakey's Multi-organ Transplant Center at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, bringing extensive expertise that would transform the institution's cardiovascular care. Throughout his career, Dr. Young held numerous leadership positions including Vice-Chairman of the Department of Cardiovascular Disease, Chair of the Division of Medicine, and Executive Dean of the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine from 2009 to 2018.
Dr. Young co-founded the Kaufman Center for Heart Failure at Cleveland Clinic and served as its Medical Director, establishing one of the most respected and productive heart failure programs globally under his guidance. His pioneering research on mechanical circulatory support systems and alternative approaches to heart transplantation has significantly advanced the field of advanced cardiac care, with his leadership as Study Chairman of the NIH, FDA, and CMS Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) providing critical standardization for device data collection. His clinical trials investigating beta-blockers, particularly carvedilol's effectiveness in severe chronic heart failure, have directly influenced treatment protocols worldwide, improving outcomes for countless patients with advanced cardiac disease. Dr. Young's work on heart transplantation, donor organ procurement, and mechanical circulatory support has been instrumental in developing evidence-based practices that have elevated standards of care across the cardiovascular medicine community.
A former President of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, Dr. Young has shaped global standards in cardiac transplantation through his leadership roles and service on two National Academy of Medicine task force committees studying organ transplantation. Beyond his clinical research contributions, he co-founded the innovative 'Humanities Thread' curriculum at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, demonstrating his commitment to integrating medical humanities into physician training. Though retiring from executive roles in June 2022, he continues to contribute to the medical community as Contract Staff at Cleveland Clinic, maintaining his dedication to advancing heart failure care while mentoring the next generation of cardiovascular specialists. His enduring influence is reflected in the lasting impact of the programs he established and the countless physicians he has trained throughout his distinguished career.
