The ISHR originally began as the "International Study Group for Research in Cardiac Metabolism" in Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia in 1968. In 1976 in Tokyo the group adopted the name "International Society for Heart Research". Over the years, membership has grown to include over 3,000 members in 7 Sections including the Australian, Chinese, European, Indian, Japanese, Latin American and North American. To date 21 World Congresses of the ISHR have been held (Dubrovnik, 1968 - Gargona, 1969 - Stowe, 1970 - Geneva, 1971 - Winnipeg, 1972 - Freiburg, 1973 - Quebec, 1974 - Tokyo, 1976 - New Delhi, 1978 - Moscow, 1980 - London, 1983 - Melbourne, 1986 - Ann Arbor, 1989 - Kobe, 1992 - Prague, 1995 - Rhodes, 1998 - Winnipeg, 2001 - Brisbane, 2004 - Bologna, 2007 - Kyoto, 2010 and San Diego, 2013). In 2016, the World Congress will be held for the first time in South America; The 22nd World Congress will be organized in collaboration with the ISHR- Latin American Section and will take place April 18-21, 2016 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The ISHR sponsors a number of important awards including the Peter Harris Distinguished Scientist Award, The Research Achievement Award, the Outstanding Investigator Prize, the Richard Bing Young Investigator Award, three Distinguished Lecture awards, and various travel awards for young investigators. In addition, several individual Sections award separate prizes. Members who have distinguished themselves for outstanding contributions to cardiovascular research are recognized by their advancement to the status of Fellows of the ISHR, a prestigious distinction that has been conferred on a select group of scientists. A list of past recipients of ISHR awards and Fellows can be found on our website at www.ishrworld.org. The ISHR also publishes its own journal (Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology. Editor: David Eisner) and has its own newsletter (Heart News and Views, Editor: Leslie Anderson Lobaugh).
The mission of the ISHR is to promote the discovery and dissemination of knowledge in the cardiovascular sciences on a worldwide basis through publications, congresses, and other media. This is accomplished by: