Remembering Roberto M. Lang, MD, FASE

It is with extreme sadness that we announce that ASE Past President, beloved mentor and volunteer, Roberto M. Lang, MD, FASE, University of Chicago, passed away, on June 10, 2025, after a brief illness. Dr. Lang was an internationally renowned cardiologist and his leadership and influence in cardiovascular ultrasound will be missed by his colleagues and patients alike.

Dr. Lang earned his undergraduate and medical degrees from Universidad Nacional de Buenos Aires in Argentina and completed his postdoctoral training at institutions in Israel, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Since 1985, he’s held various academic appointments at the University of Chicago Medical Center in Illinois. Most recently, he served as the institution’s Director of the Cardiac Noninvasive Imaging Laboratory and the A.J. Carlson Professor of Medicine.

Throughout his career, he published more than 700 manuscripts on cardiac imaging and physiology, wrote more than 100 book chapters, authored nearly 900 abstracts, and edited 12 books—including ASE’s Comprehensive Echocardiography textbook, now in its third edition. He was a pioneer in the development of three-dimensional transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography, a noninvasive technique that is used worldwide to diagnose heart disease.

Dr. Lang was a dedicated volunteer for ASE since he joined in 1991. He held a number of leadership positions in almost every facet of the Society. He served as Board of Directors President from 2009-2010 and Chaired or Co-Chaired a large number of ASE committees, task forces, writing groups, and editorial boards. In 2010, he initiated the international collaboration that became the World Summit on Echocardiography, with summits subsequently being held in Argentina, China, Brazil, India, and most recently, in Mexico last year. In 2015, he led the international writing group for one of ASE’s most cited guidelines Recommendations for Cardiac Chamber Quantification by Echocardiography in Adults. Dr. Lang was recognized for his exceptional commitment to the field with three ASE Awards: the 2024 Mentorship Award, the 2015 Meritorious Service and the 2008 Richard Popp Excellence in Teaching awards. He was also a very active ASE Foundation (ASEF) volunteer and participated in global health outreach events in Mexico, Cuba, and Argentina, as well as virtual events with Vietnam. He was integral to the success of the ASEF-funded World Alliance Societies of Echocardiography (WASE) Normal Values and COVID studies in 2016 and 2020. Dr. Lang was also the driving force behind starting the ASE Foundation’s largest fundraiser every year, the ASEF Research Awards Gala in 2010.

Dr. Lang was a fellow in multiple professional societies and has served on the Editorial Boards of most cardiology peer-reviewed journals. He was currently serving as the Board of Directors President of the National Board of Echocardiography, Inc.

The depth and breadth of Dr. Lang’s career reach far beyond his personal accomplishments. The way he graciously shared his knowledge and expertise with countless physicians and sonographers from diverse backgrounds and regions across the globe will live on forever. His contagious and joyous enthusiasm, his love for scientific discovery, and his enjoyment at seeing others succeed will be missed by everyone who had the honor of knowing him.

Our deepest sympathies to his wife, children, grandchildren, colleagues at the University of Chicago and around the world, and his ASE family.

The Lang family has graciously asked that donations be directed to the ASE Foundation. If you are interested in making a donation, you may do so by
visiting this page.