Rate My Professor Peter Zilla

Professor Peter Zilla is an Emeritus Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Cape Town. He obtained his academic qualifications from the Universities of Vienna in Austria, Zurich in Switzerland, and Cape Town in South Africa, along with clinical qualifications from the Austrian Physician’s Board and the College of Medicine of South Africa. In 1992, he established the Cardiovascular Research Unit at the University of Cape Town, where he continues as director. He played a key role in founding the Cape Heart Centre at UCT and the MRC Cape Heart Group in 1996, serving as its director from 1999. His career appointments at the university include Associate Professor in 1994, Principal Specialist in 1996, Full Professor in 1999, and Head of the Chris Barnard Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery in 2000, overseeing services at Groote Schuur Hospital and Red Cross Children’s Hospital. Professor Zilla’s research has focused on tissue engineering and prosthetic cardiovascular implants, including heart valve research. He has received recognition such as an Austrian honour and the Best Global Heart Journal Paper award for work on global unmet needs in cardiac surgery. He led the Chris Barnard Chair for 25 years and remains active in advancing cardiac surgery access, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.