The field of heart transplantation was built upon the discoveries of immunity 
and tolerance by Landsteiner, Medawar, Burnet, and others, as well as technical 
advancements in surgical technique by Carrel. Since the first successful human 
heart transplant performed by Christiaan Barnard in 1967, there has been 
substantial progress in the field of heart transplantation, especially over the 
last several decades. With advances in immunosuppression and surgical 
techniques, the rates of acute rejection and infection leading to graft failure 
have declined. However, the detection of acute and chronic allograft rejection 
remains one of the most important yet unsettled matters. As such, many new 
horizons exist for further advancement of the field of heart transplantation and 
for improving the outcomes of the patients we serve.