Carl L. Backer, MD is the A.C. Buehler Professor of Surgery, Division Head of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgery, and Surgical Director of the Cardiac Transplant Program at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago.  Dr. Backer is a world-renowned pediatric cardiovascular-thoracic surgeon.  His areas of expertise include heart transplantation, repair of complex congenital and acquired heart lesions, tracheal lesions, and arrhythmia surgery.  Dr. Backer specializes in surgical treatment of congenital heart disease in infants and children and also performs complex re-do procedures in adults.  His special interests are:  heart transplantation, vascular ring surgery, tracheal reconstruction, and the Ross operation.  Dr. Backer has authored or co-authored over 130 refereed articles, 76 book chapters, and 4 textbooks.  He is the co-editor with Dr. Constantine Mavroudis of the 2nd and 3rd editions of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.   Dr. Backer is board certified in Thoracic Surgery and Congenital Cardiac Surgery.  He sees patients at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Dr. Backer is a member of numerous international and national professional societies, including: the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, among others. He currently serves as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Congenital Heart Surgeons Society. He is the Congenital Cardiac Section Editor on the Editorial Board of SESATS (Self-Education/Self-Assessment in Thoracic Surgery), Editor of the Congenital Portal on CTSNet, and serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Cardiac Surgery. He is a charter member of the Board of Directors of the Children’s Heart Foundation, and is currently Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board of the Foundation.