UAB Synopsis, Vol. 25, No. 26, October 23, 2006

Professor of Surgery and Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery James K. Kirklin, MD, announces the appointment of Christopher J. Knott-Craig, MB, ChB, as professor of surgery in the Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery and chief of the section of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

Born in South Africa in 1953, Dr. Knott-Craig received his medical degree at the University of Cape Town, Groote Schuur Hospital, South Africa, and subsequently an internship under Professor Christiaan N. Barnard, MD, PhD. He completed his cardiothoracic surgery residency at University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, where he received the Dean’s Outstanding Achievement Award and was named best postgraduate resident in the College of Medicine. Joining the faculty of University of Stellenbosch in 1987 as a specialist in cardiothoracic surgery, he was later appointed chief of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery. During a sabbatical in 1989, he trained in neonatal cardiac surgery with Marc R. DeLeval, MD, at the Harley Steet Clinic and Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London.

As an Evarts A. Graham Traveling Memorial Fellow (1989 to 1990), Dr. Knott-Craig trained at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, with Gordon K. Danielson, MD, and the Boston Children’s Hospital with Aldo R. Castaneda, MD.

In 1991 he accepted an appointment as associate professor in the section of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City and rose to the rank of professor in 1997. Dr. Knott-Craig was appointed chief, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Oklahoma in 2000.

Among his many honors are the American Heart Association’s highest honor, the Medal of Valor, for service in the aftermath of the Oklahoma City Murrah Building bombing in 1995, the South African Officio tua Diligmus Award in recognition of humanitarian service in the field of medicine, and induction into the Congenital Heart Surgeon’s Society. He was also personally recognized for his accomplishments in pediatric cardiac surgery by Pope John Paul II and President Nelson Mandela.

Author of more than 80 peer-reviewed scientific articles and 5 book chapters, since 2001 Dr. Knott-Craig has completed 8 successive marathons in under 4 hours, including the New York City and Boston marathons. Currently he is publishing his first anthology of poetry in English and Afrikaans and a collection of his acrylic on canvas paintings.

Dr. Knott-Craig’s clinical interests center on pediatric cardiac surgery, with special focuses on neonatal surgery, pediatric thoracic surgery, and surgery for hyperhydrosis.

He can be reached at 934.2419 for academic and administrative matters or by e-mail at ckc@uab.edu.