Magdi Yacoub

Magdi Habib Yacoub was born on 16 November 1935Yacoub, Magdi. [https://www.uc.pt/fmuc/DocumentosHomepage/2013/Marco/Magdi Curriculum Vitae: Magdi Yacoub]. in Bilbeis, El Sharqia, Egypt to a Coptic Christian family,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bau.edu.lb/Honorary-Doctorates-Awarded%20by-Beirut-Arab-University|title=BAU - Beirut Arab University {{!}} Honorary Doctorates|date=2019|website=www.bau.edu.lb|publisher=Beirut Arab University|access-date=13 November 2019}}{{cite journal |last1=Bibi-Aisha |first1=Wadvalla |date=28 April 2011|title=Religious bias in Egypt's universities |journal=Nature Middle East |doi=10.1038/nmiddleeast.2011.51 }} and spent his childhood moving around a number of different small towns.{{Cite journal|date=2004-01-15|title=Professor Sir Magdi Habib Yacoub, FRS, FRCS, FRCP, DS: a conversation with the editor *|url=https://www.ajconline.org/article/S0002-9149(03)01479-6/abstract|journal=American Journal of Cardiology|language=en|volume=93|issue=2|pages=176–192|doi=10.1016/j.amjcard.2003.10.003|issn=0002-9149|pmid=14715343|last1=Yacoub|first1=M. H.|url-access=subscription}} His father was a surgeon, who later worked in public health. He died in 1958. Yacoub later recalled that both his father and the death of his youngest aunt at age 22 years from an uncorrected mitral stenosis during childbirth inspired him to study medicine and cardiology, saying that “this young woman would not have died if we had had access to facilities which were then available in a few centres around the world”.{{Cite journal|last=Baines|first=Emma|date=28 March 2006|title=Circulation: European Perspectives|journal=Circulation|volume=113|issue=12|pages=f45–f48|doi=10.1161/circ.113.12.f45|doi-access=free}}{{Cite journal | last1 = Bonn | first1 = D. | title = Magdi Yacoub: A surgeon and a scientist | doi = 10.1016/S0140-6736(00)82027-9 | journal = The Lancet | volume = 355 | issue = 9202 | pages = 474–475 | year = 2000 | pmid = 10841138 | s2cid = 7108760 }}

At the age of 15, he entered the University of Cairo College of Medicine with a scholarship.

File:National Heart Hospital, Westmoreland Street, W1. Wellcome S0007606.jpg

In 1957, Yacoub graduated in medicine from Cairo University and completed two years of residencies in surgery. In 1961{{Cite web|url=http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/782920|title=Yacoub: Surgeon and scientist|last=Nainggolan|first=Lisa|date=27 March 2003|website=Medscape|access-date=3 December 2019|url-access=subscription}} or 1962 he moved to Britain to study for his fellowship while working under Sir Russell Brock, consultant surgeon at Guy's Hospital.

File:Ross Procedure.png

In 1964, he was appointed rotating surgical senior registrar to the National Heart and Chest Hospitals,{{Cite journal|last1=Tansey|first1=EM|last2=Reynolds|first2=LA|date=September 1999|title=Early Heart Transplant Surgery in the UK|url=https://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/2826/REYNOLDSEarlyHeart1999FINAL.pdf?sequence=2|journal=Wellcome Witnesses to Twentieth Century Medicine|pages=28|via=Queen Mary, University of London}} where he worked with cardiothoracic surgeon Donald Ross. Here, they worked on repairing heart valves in people with severe valvular heart disease and heart failure.{{Cite journal|last=Emanuel|first=R.|date=18 May 1968|title=Too ill for cardiac surgery?|journal=British Medical Journal|volume=2|issue=5602|pages=400–402|issn=0007-1447|pmc=1985988|pmid=5649000|doi=10.1136/bmj.2.5602.400}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/structural-congenital-heart-disease/ross-procedure-survival-younger-valve-replacement|title=Ross procedure boosts survival for younger valve replacement candidates|last=Allar|first=Daniel|date=28 August 2018|website=Cardiovascular Business|language=en|access-date=29 November 2019}} Four of their cases, operated on between December 1965 and October 1967, were reported on in the British Medical Journal (1968) in an article titled "Too ill for cardiac surgery?". Three had severe aortic valve disease and one had rheumatic heart disease with multiple affected valves. All four had a poor prognosis with death expected within a few days and all four survived surgery. He carried out a number of Ross procedures, where the diseased aortic valve is replaced with the person's own pulmonary valve, particularly in growing children.{{Cite journal|last1=Yacoub|first1=Magdi|last2=El-Hamamsy|first2=Ismail|date=15 December 2014|title=The Ross operation in infants and children, when and how?|journal=Heart|language=en|volume=100|issue=24|pages=1905–1906|doi=10.1136/heartjnl-2014-306453|issn=1355-6037|pmid=25324536|pmc=4251164}}{{Cite journal|last=Torres|first=Enrique Garcia|date=11 July 2012|title=Ross Procedure With Pulmonary Autograft Reinforcement|url=https://www.ctsnet.org/article/ross-procedure-pulmonary-autograft-reinforcement|journal=CTSNet|language=en}} It became a popular alternative to the surgical treatment of aortic valve disease in young adults and avoided the need for anticoagulation and repeated operations. Yacoub modified the operation by planning remodelling of the autograft root, the Ross-Yacoub procedure,Mark Ruzmetov, Karl F. Welke, Dale M. Geiss, Klay Buckley and Randall S. Fortuna (2014). [https://www.annalsthoracicsurgery.org/article/S0003-4975(14)00374-9/pdf “Failed Autograft After the Ross Procedure in Children: Management and Outcome”]. The Annals of Thoracic Surgery. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Elsevier. {{doi|10.1016/j.athoracsur.2014.02.038}}{{Cite journal|last1=Luciani|first1=Giovanni Battista|last2=Viscardi|first2=Francesca|last3=Pilati|first3=Mara|last4=Prioli|first4=Antonia Maria|last5=Faggian|first5=Giuseppe|last6=Mazzucco|first6=Alessandro|date=March 2010|title=The Ross-Yacoub procedure for aneurysmal autograft roots: a strategy to preserve autologous pulmonary valves|journal=The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery|volume=139|issue=3|pages=536–542|doi=10.1016/j.jtcvs.2009.08.019|issn=1097-685X|pmid=19846123|doi-access=free}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vU6HltsjMrcC&q=remodelling+yacoub|title=Johns Hopkins Manual of Cardiothoracic Surgery|last1=Yuh|first1=David Daiho|last2=Vricella|first2=Luca A.|last3=Baumgartner|first3=William|date=2012|publisher=McGraw Hill Professional|isbn=978-0-07-181158-3|language=en}} performed in carefully selected people.{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nmqc-vVkLqkC&q=remodelling+yacoub&pg=PA107|title=Heart Valves—Advances in Research and Application: 2012 Edition|last=Acton|first=Q. Ashton|date=2012|publisher=ScholarlyEditions|isbn=978-1-4649-9868-3|pages=107|language=en|chapter=1. Aortic Valve}} At a time when cardiologists may have been reluctant to refer for surgery, Yacoub's search for operable people earned him the name "Magdi's midnight stars".

Later, his application for a job at the Royal Brompton Hospital was turned down. {{Cite journal|last=Alivizatos|first=Peter A.|date=24 January 2019|title=Sir Magdi H. Yacoub, the Leonardo da Vinci of cardiac surgery|journal=Proceedings (Baylor University. Medical Center)|volume=32|issue=1|pages=146–151|doi=10.1080/08998280.2018.1532247|issn=0899-8280|pmc=6442908|pmid=30956614}} In 1968, he moved to the United States and the following year he became Instructor and then Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago.

In 1973, he became a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon at Harefield Hospital, West London, opened in 1921 as a TB sanatorium of single storey pavilions typical for such a hospital.{{cite web | url=https://wellcomecollection.org/works/dd238hsk | title=Hospitals in England and Wales: Buildings, equipment and staff. Photographs, 194- }} He later recalled that "I was tempted to stay in Chicago, as I was interested in the research they were doing there, but I had already accepted the position at Harefield before going to the US, so I was honour bound to return". At Harefield, he worked closely with Rosemary Radley-Smith, consultant in paediatric cardiology.

As a visiting professor to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Yacoub, Fabian Udekwu, C. H Anyanwu, and others formed part of the team that performed the first open heart surgery in Nigeria in 1974.John C. Eze, Ndubueze Ezemba, [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1847931/ Open-Heart Surgery in Nigeria Indications and Challenges], Tex. Heart Inst. J. 2007; 34(1): 8–10.

File:Blausen 0047 ArterialSwitchOperation 02.png

In 1977, he devised a two-stage approach for an arterial switch operation (ASO) in older people with transposition of the great arteries with an intact ventricular septum (IVS).{{Cite journal|last1=Sarris|first1=George E.|last2=Balmer|first2=Christian|last3=Bonou|first3=Pipina|last4=Comas|first4=Juan V.|last5=da Cruz|first5=Eduardo|last6=Chiara|first6=Luca Di|last7=Di Donato|first7=Roberto M.|last8=Fragata|first8=José|last9=Jokinen|first9=Tuula Eero|last10=Kirvassilis|first10=George|last11=Lytrivi|first11=Irene|date=1 January 2017|title=Clinical guidelines for the management of patients with transposition of the great arteries with intact ventricular septum|journal=European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery|language=en|volume=51|issue=1|pages=e1–e32|doi=10.1093/ejcts/ezw360|pmid=28077506|issn=1010-7940|doi-access=free}}

Yacoub began the transplant programme at Harefield Hospital in 1980 with a heart transplant for Derrick Morris, who became Europe's longest surviving heart transplant recipient until his death in July 2005.{{Citation|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/12151507/Longest-surviving-heart-transplant-patient-dies.html|title=The Telegraph - John McCafferty Longest Living Heart Transplantation Survival|website=www.telegraph.co.uk|language=en-gb|access-date=9 February 2017}} Two years later, he performed a heart transplant on John McCafferty, who survived for more than 33 years, until 10 February 2016 and became recognised as the world's longest surviving heart transplant patient by the Guinness World Records in 2013, surpassing the previous Guinness World Record of 30 years, 11 months and 10 days set by an American man who died in 2009.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/10537129/Brit-sets-new-record-for-longest-surviving-heart-transplant-patient.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224231003/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/10537129/Brit-sets-new-record-for-longest-surviving-heart-transplant-patient.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 December 2013|title=Brit sets new record for longest surviving heart transplant patient|last1=Prynne|first1=Miranda|date=24 December 2013|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=19 September 2014|location=United Kingdom}}

In December 1983 Yacoub performed the UK's first combined heart and lung transplant at Harefield.{{citation |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/6/newsid_2535000/2535149.stm |title=Transplant makes British medical history |publisher=BBC News |access-date=19 September 2014 |work=On This Day |date=6 December 1983}}

From 1986 to 2006, he held the position of British Heart Foundation Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College Faculty of Medicine.{{Cite journal

| last1 = Burke | first1 = K. | title = Overseas talent can help us build a better NHS, says Magdi Yacoub | journal = British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.) | volume = 324 | issue = 7337 | pages = 565c–565 | year = 2002 | pmid = 11884312 | pmc = 1122503| doi=10.1136/bmj.324.7337.565/c}} In 1988, he became a member of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, twenty years after qualifying in surgery.

He is the founding editor of the journal Disease Models & Mechanisms.{{Cite journal | last1 = Rosenthal | first1 = N. | title = Taking translational research to heart: An interview with Sir Magdi Yacoub | doi = 10.1242/dmm.004176 | journal = Disease Models & Mechanisms | volume = 2 | issue = 9–10 | pages = 433–435 | year = 2009 | pmid = 19726801 | doi-access = free }}

He treated a number of politicians and celebrities throughout his surgical career, including comedian Eric Morecambe in 1979,{{Cite web|url=https://www.biographyonline.net/comics/eric-morecambe.html|title=Eric Morecambe Biography {{!}}|website=Biography Online|language=en-GB|access-date=30 November 2019}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.birminghampost.net/whats-on/theatre/bob-goldings-life-eric-morecambe-3931327|title=Bob Golding's life as Eric Morecambe|last=Young|first=Graham|date=2010-05-21|website=birminghampost|access-date=30 November 2019}} Greek Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou in 1988,{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/nation-waits-as-papandreou-weakens-1584173.html|title=Nation waits as Papandreou weakens|date=29 November 1995|work=The Independent|access-date=24 November 2019|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12056966.Surgeon_in_bid_to_save_ailing_leader_British_doctor_says_Papandreou_still_has_chance/|title=Surgeon in bid to save ailing leader British doctor says Papandreou still has chance|website=HeraldScotland|date=December 1995 |language=en|access-date=24 November 2019}} and actor Omar Sharif in 1993.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chainofhope.org/countries/4|title=What we do|website=Chain of Hope|language=en|access-date=2018-03-17}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/how-we-met-omar-sharif-magdi-yacoub-1133604.html|title=How we met: Omar Sharif & Magdi Yacoub|last=Greenhalgh|first=Victoria|date=19 December 1999|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=29 November 2019}}

He retired from the National Health Service in 2001 at the age of 65.

In 2006, he led a complex operation which required removing a transplant heart from a person whose own heart had recovered. The original heart had not been removed during transplant surgery nearly a decade earlier, in the hope it might recover.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4904914.stm|title=Revolutionary heart op for girl|date=13 April 2006|work=Health|access-date=23 November 2007|publisher=BBC News}}

In April 2007, it was reported that a British medical research team led by Yacoub had grown part of a human heart valve from stem cells.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2007/apr/02/stemcells.genetics|title=British team grows human heart valve from stem cells|last=Jha|first=Alok|date=2 April 2007|work=The Guardian|access-date=23 November 2007|location=London}}

In January 2025, he unveiled a revolutionary "living valve" for heart patients. The biodegradable valve would integrate with the body, allowing cells to form a fully functional, natural valve that would grow with the patient, reducing the need for future surgeries and immune rejection.{{cite web |last=Magdi |first=Nourhan |url=https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/137623/Global-praise-to-Sir-Magdy-Yaqoub-s-living-valve-as |title=Global praise to Sir Magdy Yaqoub's 'living valve' as surgical advance in treating heart diseases |publisher=Egypt Today |date=11 January 2025 }}

In March 2025, he was interviewed by Jim Al-khalilli for the BBC's The Life Scientific.https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00282zb

In 1995, Yacoub founded the charity Of Ahmed Sherif "Chain of Hope",{{Cite journal|last=Dunning|first=Joel|date=3 January 2012|title=Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub|url=https://www.ctsnet.org/article/professor-sir-magdi-yacoub|journal=CTSNet|language=en}}{{Cite journal|last=Kirby|first=Tony|date=2010-08-14|title=ESC tackles child congenital heart disease in poor countries|url=https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(10)61236-6/abstract|journal=The Lancet|language=en|volume=376|issue=9740|pages=501–502|doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61236-6|issn=0140-6736|pmid=20722098|s2cid=35352013|url-access=subscription}} through which he continued to operate on children,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/my-story/big-interview/magdi-yacoub|title=Magdi Yacoub on his life at the cutting edge of heart surgery|website=www.bhf.org.uk|language=en|access-date=14 November 2019}} and through which the provision of heart surgery for correctable heart defects are made possible in areas without specialist cardiac surgery units.{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2018/06/06/andrew-fisher-on-magdi-yacoub-the-icon-at-the-heart-of-uk-organ-transplantation-for-more-than-30-years/|title=Andrew Fisher on Magdi Yacoub: The icon at the heart of UK organ transplantation|last=Fisher|first=Andrew|date=6 June 2018|website=British Medical Journal|language=en-US|access-date=7 December 2019}}

He is also the head of the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Foundation, co-founded with Ahmed Zewail and Ambassador Mohamed Shaker in 2008,{{Cite web|url=http://aswanheartcentre.com/|title=Home - Aswan Heart Center|website=aswanheartcentre.com|language=en-gb|access-date=18 November 2019}}{{Cite journal|last1=Yacoub|first1=Magdi|last2=Ferrari|first2=Roberto|date=October 2013|title=The Aswan Heart Centre project|journal=European Heart Journal|volume=34|issue=37|pages=2857–2858|issn=1522-9645|pmid=24224187}}{{Cite web|url=https://myf-egypt.org/about/|title=Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation|website=Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation|access-date=29 November 2019}} which launched the Aswan Heart project and founded the Aswan Heart Centre the following year.{{Cite web|url=https://myglobalheart.org/our-history/|title=Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Foundation {{!}} Advanced Cardiac Care to all people in need|website=Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Foundation|language=en-US|access-date=30 November 2019}}

• 1988: Bradshaw Lecture, Royal College of Physicians. It was held in Sheffield.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KU66kQNaRaIC&q=Bradshaw+Lecture+yacoub&pg=PA193|title=Pyke's Notes|last=Pyke|first=David|date=1992|publisher=Royal College of Physicians|isbn=1873240465|location=Location|pages=193|language=en}}
• 1998: Texas Heart Institute Ray C. Fish Award for Scientific Achievement in Cardiovascular Disease.{{Cite journal|date=2008|title=Texas Heart Institute Medal and the Ray C. Fish Award for Scientific Achievement in Cardiovascular Diseases|journal=Texas Heart Institute Journal|volume=35|issue=4|pages=383–384|issn=0730-2347|pmc=2607096|pmid=19156228}}
• 1998: Elected Fellow of the Royal Society.
• 1999: Lifetime outstanding achievement award in recognition of contribution to medicine, Secretary of State for Health (UK).{{Cite journal|date=29 January 2009|title=Lifetime Achievement Award shortlist: Professor Sir Magdi Habib Yacoub|url=https://www.bmj.com/content/338/bmj.b282|journal=British Medical Journal|language=en|volume=338|pages=b282|doi=10.1136/bmj.b282|s2cid=220110110|issn=0959-8138|url-access=subscription}}{{subscription required}}
• 2003: Golden Hippocrates International Award for Excellence in Cardiac Surgery (Moscow).{{Cite web|url=http://telemedfoundation.org/newsandevents.html|title=Telemed foundation, Telemed Foundation News and Events|website=telemedfoundation.org|access-date=2019-11-27}}
• WHO Prize for Humanitarian Services.{{Cite web|url=http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/7/48/292567/Life--Style/Health/Sir-Magdi-Yacoub-Egypts-king-of-hearts.aspx|title=Sir Magdi Yacoub: Egypt's king of hearts - Health - Life & Style|last=Deif|first=Ingy|date=11 March 2018|website=Ahram Online|language=en|access-date=2019-12-03}}
• 2004: International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Lifetime Achievement Award, at the 24th annual meeting in San Francisco.{{Cite web|url=https://ishlt.org/grants-awards/lifetime-achievement/2004-recipient|title=ISHLT: The International Society for Heart & Lung Transplantation - 2004 Recipient|website=ishlt.org|access-date=23 November 2019}}
• 2006: Hamdan Award for Volunteers in Humanitarian Medical Services.
• 2006: European Society of Cardiology Gold Medal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/2783/top-recognition-cardiology-experts-world-congress/|title=Top recognition for cardiology experts at World Congress of Cardiology {{!}} Imperial News {{!}} Imperial College London|date=13 October 2006|website=Imperial News|language=en|access-date=24 November 2019|last3=SW7 2AZ|first3=London}}
• 2007: Pride of Britain Award.{{Cite web|url=https://www.prideofbritain.com/history/2007/sir-magdi-yacoub|title=Sir Magdi Yacoub - Pride of Britain Awards|website=www.prideofbritain.com|access-date=28 November 2019}}
• 2007: Honorary citizenships of the city of Bergamo, Italy[http://www.comune.bergamo.it/upload/bergamo_ecm8/gestionedocumentale/cittadinanzeonorarie_5912.xls From the municipality of Bergamo website]
• 2007: Medal of Merit, President, International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences.{{Cite journal|date=April 2008|title=IACS Medal of Merit|journal=The Canadian Journal of Cardiology|volume=24|issue=4|pages=256|issn=0828-282X|pmc=2644028}}
• 2011: Order of the Nile for science and humanity.{{Cite web|url=https://www.world-heart-federation.org/congress-2018/scientific-programme/welcome-ceremony/|title=Opening Ceremony|website=World Heart Federation Congress|access-date=3 December 2019}}
• 2012: American College of Cardiology Legend of Cardiovascular Medicine.{{Cite web|url=https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2012/11/15/16/43/accel-search-of-excellence|title=ACCEL: In Search of Excellence|last=O’Gara|first=Patrick T.|date=15 November 2012|website=American College of Cardiology|access-date=21 November 2019}}
• 2015: Lister Medal for contributions to surgical science, presented by Clare Marx, President of the Royal College of Surgeons.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/news-and-events/media-centre/press-releases/professor-sir-magdi-yacoub-wins-prestigious-lister-medal/|title=Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub wins prestigious Lister Medal|date=17 June 2015|website=Royal College of Surgeons|language=en|access-date=21 November 2019}}
• 2019: Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Achievement Award (KAHAA).{{Cite web|url=https://www.habtoor.com/en/news/26/2050/khalaf-ahmad-al-habtoor-honours-professor-sir-magdi-yacoub-with-the-khalaf-ahmad-al-habtoor-achievement-award|title=Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Honours Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub with The Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Achievement Award|date=30 May 2019|website=www.habtoor.com|language=en-US|access-date=24 November 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.khalafalhabtoor.net/en/videos/|title=Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Achievement Award (KAHAA) honoured Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub ( full video)|date=29 May 2019|website=www.khalafalhabtoor.net|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1505566/corporate-news |title=Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor honors Egyptian surgeon Magdi Yacoub |date=2 June 2019|website=www.arabnews.com|language=en-US}}
• Yacoub was knighted in the 1992 New Year Honours[http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Sir-Magdi-Yacoub.pdf Presentation speech for Sir Magdi Yacoub for the honorary degree of Doctor of Medicine of the University honoris causa]. University of Buckingham. Graduation 2015. Professor Mike Cawthorne. and appointed to the Order of Merit in the 2014 New Year Honours.{{London Gazette|title=Order of Merit|issue=60728 |supp=y|page=2|date=31 December 2013}}

He was married to Marianne and they have three children and a number of grandchildren. During an appearance on the BBC's The Life Scientific in March 2025, he stated that his wife had now died.https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00282zb Marianne's family was originally from East Germany and then escaped across the Wall to Hamburg.https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00282zb She then came to the UK and worked as an auxiliary nurse at the Royal Brompton Hospital, which is where she met Yacoub. They were married at the University of Chicago, USA after Marianne followed him to the USA.https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00282zb

Yacoub enjoys swimming, listening to classical music and growing orchids.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/children/3326353/Cant-we-fit-in-another-patient.html|title='Can't we fit in another patient?'|last=Jardine|first=Cassandra|journal=Daily Telegraph|date=17 November 2005|access-date=26 November 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}

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• [https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S002252230580025X?token=CBEDB1E01002C52E9F330ACDBE7C03D65E49DFD4DC5ECB9464E20CA50236B5D05CD55DA623991AF3FDEA8827691BEE9F "Fourteen-year experience with homovital homografts for aortic valve replacement"]. The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. Vol. 110, Issue 1 (July 1995), pp. 186–194. Yacoub et al
• [https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.cir.92.2.156?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%3Dpubmed "Two Hearts that Beat as One"]. Circulation. Vol. 92, Issue 2 (15 July 1995), pp. 156–157. {{doi|10.1161/01.CIR.92.2.156}}.
• [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16901050 "An evaluation of the Ross operation in adults"]. Journal of Heart Valve Disease. Vol. 15, No. 4 (July 2006), pp. 531–9. {{PMID|16901050}}. Yacoub et al.
• [https://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d2466 "Is there a risk in avoiding risk for younger patients with aortic valve disease?"]. British Medical Journal. Vol. 342, 26 May 2011. {{doi|10.1136/bmj.d2466}}. Co-authored with Tom Treasure and Asif Hasan
• [https://heart.bmj.com/content/100/24/1905 "The Ross operation in infants and children, when and how?"]. Heart. Vol. 100, Issue 24 (16 October 2014), pp. 1905–1906. {{doi|10.1136/heartjnl-2014-306453}}. Co-authored with Ismail El-Hamamsy

{{reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080220010753/http://www.copticmedical.com/yacoub.htm Profile from the Coptic Medical Society UK]
• [https://www.chainofhope.org/ Chain of Hope website]
• [https://myf-egypt.org/about/ Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation]. Founded 2008

{{FRS 1999}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yacoub, Magdi}}

Category:1935 births

Category:Living people

Category:Academics of Imperial College London

Category:British cardiologists

Category:British Oriental Orthodox Christians

Category:20th-century Oriental Orthodox Christians

Category:British transplant surgeons

Category:Coptic Christians

Category:Egyptian cardiologists

Category:Egyptian Christians

Category:Egyptian emigrants to the United Kingdom

Category:Egyptian transplant surgeons

Category:Fellows of the Royal Society

Category:Knights Bachelor

Category:Members of the French Academy of Sciences

Category:Members of the Order of Merit

Category:Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom

Category:People from Sharqia Governorate

Category:United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize laureates

Category:21st-century British medical doctors

Category:20th-century British surgeons