Cardiac Implants Expert To Speak at Cal Poly College of Engineering 1 of 2 file:///X:/Copyright/Submissions/_PressReleases%20&%20Cal%20Pol... Skip to Content Cal Poly News Search Cal Poly News Go California Polytechnic State University Contact: Amy Hewes (805) 756-6402 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Biomedical Engineer To Discuss Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators Jan. 31 SAN LUIS OBISPO -- "Computers in the Chest" will be the topic Jan. 31 for a biomedical engineer's talk on cardiac defibrillators that can be implanted in a heart patient's chest. Mark W. Kroll, senior vice president and chief technology officer for St. Jude Medical Inc.'s Cardiac Rhythm Management Division, will speak at 11 a.m. in Cal Poly's Advanced Technology Laboratories. The talk is part of the Engineering Critical Technologies Lyceum series sponsored by Cal Poly's College of Engineering. The implantable cardiac defibrillator is considered the most complicated device yet placed in the human body. It greatly reduces a patient's risk of sudden cardiac death. Defibrillators, devices that use electricity to stimulate the heart, embody sophisticated combinations of software engineering, integrated circuits, capacitor development and battery development. Kroll's talk will discuss the future of cardiac medical device therapy and biomedical engineering. Kroll has held various vice-president-level positions with St. Jude Medical since 1995. Holder of 142 U.S. patents, he has been honored by the Patent and Trademark Office as a "prolific inventor" and was awarded Fellow recognition by the American College of Cardiology. He is co-author of the book "Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Therapy," has written numerous papers, book chapters and abstracts, and has made numerous invited presentations. Kroll earned his master's degree and doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota and holds an MBA from the University of St. Thomas. For more information about the presentation, contact Dan Walsh in the 10/2/2009 1:53 PM Cardiac Implants Expert To Speak at Cal Poly College of Engineering 2 of 2 file:///X:/Copyright/Submissions/_PressReleases%20&%20Cal%20Pol... College of Engineering at 756-6400 or dwalsh@calpoly.edu. - 30 CP Home • CP Find It Get Adobe Reader • Microsoft Viewers Events • Recent Releases • Cal Poly Magazine • Cal Poly Update E-newsletter • Contact Public Affairs • Alumni • Giving • Athletics Cal Poly Public Affairs California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 805.756.7266 polynews@calpoly.edu 10/2/2009 1:53 PM