In 1958, M. Lowell Edwards and Albert Starr, MD, met at University of Oregon Medical School (now OHSU) and began collaborating on the development of an artificial heart valve. After many stages of research and development, the first successful heart valve replacement operation took place in 1960. The Starr-Edwards heart valve saved thousands of lives, and became a defining moment in the history of the university.
OHSU Historical Collections & Archives, part of the OHSU Library, holds archival materials documenting Starr and Edwards' achievement. These unique resources include photographs, manuscripts, publications, and artifacts. OHSU Library also holds oral history interviews and research publications relating to the development of the Starr-Edwards heart valve. All of these materials are available for research.
View the M. Lowell Edwards Public History Project digital exhibit
Historical Collections & Archives (HC&A), part of the OHSU Library, is the home of OHSU's collections of rare books, archives, manuscripts, and artifacts. Serving the OHSU community and the general public, HC&A supports education and research using these unique collections.
For resources on the Starr-Edwards artificial heart valves, see the tabs at left. For resources related to OHSU history, see our OHSU History resource guide. For information on how to engage with our collections and programming, see below.
This guide was compiled as part of the M. Lowell Edwards Public History Project, made possible by a grant from the Edwards Lifesciences Fund.
