1920-

American Cardiovascular Surgeon

Denton A. Cooley is a pioneer in the evolution of modern cardiovascular (heart-circulatory system) surgery. In 1969 Cooley was the first surgeon to implant an artificial heart in a human awaiting heart transplantation. He also performed the first successful human heart transplant in the United States. Cooley is the founder of the world-renowned Texas Heart Institute, where more open-heart surgeries and heart diagnostic procedures have been performed than in any other facility in the world. Cooley's high-profile surgeries have sparked both praise and criticism in the medical community as well as broadened the boundaries of surgical practice.

Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Cooley was the son of a successful dentist and real estate investor. He excelled academically in school and overcame his shyness by playing basketball. Cooley majored in zoology at the University of Texas, where he also played on...