Professor Kenneth M. Taylor, MB, ChB, MD, FRCS, FESC, FETCS, FSA and British Heart Foundation Professor of Cardiac Surgery, Imperial College London was an esteemed friend to the perfusion community. He died 1 February 2026. Despite the many titles and honorifics he earned during his career, he preferred simply to be called, “Ken.” For 25 years, he was a familiar presence to cardiac surgery teams internationally and at our Academy meetings. He first attended in 1983 in San Diego and reported on early studies on cerebral damage after cardiopulmonary bypass. The other panelists at the meeting were likewise experts on the subject, and a spirited discussion followed and is preserved in volume 4 of the Proceedings of the AACP. Ten years later, Ken offered his insights into perfusion research—methodology and its future. In 1996, he was back with us again to update attendees with the latest information on brain injury after cardiac surgery and how to lower patient risks. Another widely studied topic in the early 2000s was the systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and he once again shared with us the latest results of his group’s research. In 2000, Ken became an Honorary Member of the American Academy.
In 1985, he had organized a meeting in London entitled, “On the Aspects of Neurological Dysfunction following Cardiopulmonary Bypass”, which I attended. Four days later, we met at a pub in London, and Ken spoke of his intention to start a new journal. We agreed the most appropriate name would be “Perfusion”, and he was recruiting an editorial board. He had the backing of a large publishing firm after the success of his textbook, “Cardiopulmonary Bypass.” He said to me at the time, “This could be a good thing”, and I agreed to become an Associate Editor. For the last four decades, authors presenting at the American Academy meeting have been afforded access to Perfusion and publication of their work after successful peer review.
To stimulate interest in the journal and to encourage manuscript submissions, in 1986 Ken organized the Hammersmith Perfusion Workshop that was held annually on the first Friday in December—a magical time in London with Christmas decorations everywhere in the streets. It was well attended by perfusionists from the UK, Europe, and the US and had noted speakers from his extensive contacts with cardiac surgeons and academics. After the day’s presentations, he invited the faculty to dinner followed by an evening at his home. It was a wonderfully convivial time to visit in a relaxed setting, enhanced by sipping some fine scotch whisky. I’ll admit, Richard Chan and I sometimes stayed past midnight, and Ken’s wife, Christine, once in a not too subtle way, even had us do dishes in the kitchen to convey that the party was over. Wonderful memories!
Ken retired from clinical practice in 2007, and our visits on both sides of the Atlantic became infrequent. I shall always remember his exuberance, warm smile, and his inclusiveness to perfusionists during his lifelong work to advance the science and practice of cardiopulmonary bypass. His successor as Editor-in-Chief of Perfusion, Prakash Punjabi, has written Ken Taylor will be remembered by his colleagues as “a man of integrity, humility, and quiet authority…known for his thoughtful judgment, generosity with his knowledge, and steadfast commitment to improving patient care…” This is Ken’s legacy, and we who knew him and those who heard him speak at meetings were fortunate his academic career intersected with those of us as members of the American Academy.
Mark Kurusz, CCP (Emeritus)
Austin, Texas