The strategic partnerships between the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Baptist Health and Nicklaus Children’s Health System are driving transformative advancements in pediatric and cardiac care in South Florida. Through these collaborations, the institutions have welcomed two distinguished joint hires—Dr. David Kalfa(go to profile) and Dr. Makoto Hashimoto (go to profile)—whose expertise strengthens clinical care, medical education and groundbreaking research.
These appointments mark a significant milestone in the shared mission to elevate health care access and outcomes for children and adults across the region. By combining academic excellence with clinical expertise, the partnerships are fostering innovation and attracting world-class talent.
“Drs. Kalfa and Hashimoto exemplify the powerful pipeline our partnerships with Baptist Health and Nicklaus Children’s have created to recruit top-notch faculty and specialists. Their expertise will drive groundbreaking care, advance medical education, and inspire hope for families facing complex health challenges,” said Dr. Juan Cendan, dean of the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.
Makoto Hashimoto, M.D.
Internationally acclaimed cardiac surgeon Dr. Makoto Hashimoto joined FIU Medicine and Baptist Health in December 2024, becoming the first major joint hire of the partnership. He is a professor and director of robotic cardiac surgery at FIU and sees patients at Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute.
Specializing in robotic and minimally invasive cardiac procedures, Hashimoto offers patients faster recovery times than traditional open-heart surgery. “As a cardiac surgeon, I am guided by Leonardo da Vinci’s words: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” he says.
Previously, Hashimoto led one of Japan’s largest heart programs at Sapporo University. His expertise is already transforming cardiac care in the region. “Our robotic surgery program is now the largest in Florida,” says Dr. Tom Nguyen, chief medical executive of Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care and chair of Cardiovascular Sciences at FIU.
Hashimoto is also advancing medical education through research with FIU medical students like Natasha Mazinani, exploring the feasibility and outcomes of robotic procedures. One study shows how an atrioventricular septal defect with severe mitral regurgitation can be safely repaired using a fully robotic approach, potentially expanding the use of robotics over traditional sternotomy. Another compares Hashimoto’s first 100 robotic coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG) to his next 100, providing invaluable data for surgeons worldwide.
“Working with Dr. Hashimoto is incredibly rewarding,” says Mazinani. “It fuels my optimism for the future of medicine.”
David Kalfa, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. David Kalfa is a trailblazer in pediatric cardiac surgery. As the first FIU/Nicklaus joint hire of the FIU/Nicklaus Children’s academic partnership, he serves as chief of cardiovascular surgery and co- director of the Nicklaus Children’s Heart Institute and as a professor in the Departments of Pediatrics and Surgical Sciences at FIU.
Renowned for his expertise in complex neonatal cardiac surgery and advanced pediatric valve repair, Kalfa has pioneered minimally invasive techniques and tissue-engineered cardiovascular devices.
“Our goal is simple—deliver unparalleled care, elevate outcomes and make sure no child in South Florida has to leave home to receive world-class cardiac care,” Kalfa says.
Before moving to South Florida, Kalfa worked at Columbia University Irving Medical Center as the Florence Irving Associate Professor of Surgery and led programs at New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital.
Kalfa’s research—spanning AI-driven surgical planning, regenerative medicine and robotic surgery—focuses on improving long-term outcomes for children with congenital heart defects. Children born with valve defects, for example, often require multiple open-heart surgeries because current artificial valves cannot grow or self-repair. With a newly awarded NIH R01 grant, Kalfa is leading a study at FIU to help make donated living heart valves a viable, off-the-shelf option for these patients by enhancing valve preservation techniques and reducing immune rejection.
These groundbreaking appointments underscore the power of academic—clinical partnerships to elevate care and redefine the region’s medical landscape.