Phillip Yang, M.D. Dr. Yang's research interest focuses on the comprehensive diagnosis of ischemic heart disease using cardiac MRI. Specifically, he is using novel MR imaging sequences that enable rapid and integrated imaging of the coronary arteries as well as assessment of LV function, cardiac perfusion, and myocardial viability. By combining the chemical sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance with high spatial and temporal resolution, a wide range of biological events spanning from molecular to physiologic processes can be characterized. As an example, Dr. Yang's laboratory is currently investigating the in vivo MR imaging of stem cell biology as well as the therapeutic effects on peri-infarct ischemia. Dr. Yang's research is supported by a prestigious K23 award from the National Institutes of Health.
William Fearon, M.D.
Dr. Fearon's research focuses on coronary physiology.In particular, he is interested in invasive, wire-based techniques for investigating the significance of epicardial coronary artery stenoses and for interrogating the status of the coronary microcirculation.Recently, in an animal model, he validated a novel index for measuring microvascular resistance.He is now coordinating clinical studies to further test the usefulness of this index.He is also applying these techniques in cardiac transplant recipients in hopes of better understanding transplant vasculopathy. Dr. Fearon’s research is funded by the NIH through a K23 Career Development Award.
Research Overview
Cardiovascular Medicine Faculty
Molecular and Cellular Cardiology
Thomas Quertermous: Strategies are employed to clone and characterize genes that regulate cardiovascular development, endothelial cell differentiation, and other fundamental processes such as gene expression. Click here for more information on the Reynolds Cardiovascular Clinical Research Center at Stanford.
William T. Clusin: Cardiac ischemia; especially the measurement of cytosolic calcium during ischemia and the role of cytosolic calcium in the genesis of cardiac arrhythmias. Other interests: cellular electrophysiology; cardiovascular pharmacology, excitation-contraction coupling.
Dr. Clusin's has a recent review article ()on calcium and cardiac arrhythmias.
John Cooke: Molecular and translational research in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and angiogenesis; regulation of the NO synthase pathway; molecular, cellular and physiological characterization of nACh receptor-mediated angiogenesis. More information on the Cooke Laboratory.
Stan Rockson: Characterization of the biochemical and cellular responses to impaired lymphatic function; development and molecular characterization of the strategies for therapeutic lymphangiogenesis; imaging of immune traffic and its role in lymphatic disorders.
Electrophysiology and Electrocardiography
Sung Chun: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (alternative resynchronization methods for RBBB and congenital patients, spiral CT imaging for coronary venous system analysis), cardiac imaging (MR guided risk stratification for VT/VF, MR guided invasive EP procedure, 3D Echo guided invasive EP procedure), atrial fibrillation ablative therapy (RF catheter design, non- radiofrequency ablative approach). Dr. Chun is the principal investigator for 9 ongoing clinical protocols in electrophysiology.
Victor Froelicher: Exercise physiology: testing and training; risk assessment and prognosis in CAD.
Karen Friday: Triggers in atrial fibrillation; behavioral cardiology.
Interventional Cardiology and Biotechnology
Alan Yeung: endothelial dysfunction and vascular remodeling in coronary atherosclerosis (epicardial and microvascular); modification of atherogenesis via local drug delivery; adjunctive pharmacologic treatment in PTCA; clinical trials of new devices.
William Fearon: Dr. Fearon’s research is funded by the NIH through a K23 Career Development Award. His research focus is coronary physiology. In particular, he is interested in invasive, wire-based techniques for investigating the significance of epicardial coronary artery stenoses and for interrogating the status of the coronary microcirculation. Recently, in an animal model, he validated a novel index for measuring microvascular resistance. He is now coordinating clinical studies to further test the usefulness of this index. He is also applying these techniques in cardiac transplant recipients in hopes of better understanding transplant vasculopathy.
Simon Sterzer: Intramyocardial delivery of myoblasts and vasculogenic peptides; tissue engineering of autologous blood vessels; retrieval atherectomy in vein grafts and native coronary circulation; drug eluciting stent technology development without a polymer base in bare metal stents.
Paul Yock: Dr. Yock’s research interests center around new catheter-based technologies for cardiovascular disease. Current work focuses on catheter methods for delivery of genes, proteins, and cells into damaged myocardium, and new catheter-based imaging techniques. Dr. Yock also maintains an active interest in intravascular ultrasound, including participation in the IVUS core laboratory directed by Dr. Fitzgerald. Dr. Yock also directs the Biodesign Program, which explores new approaches to invention and technology transfer in the medical device and diagnostic arena.
Peter J. Fitzgerald: Intravascular ultrasound imaging.
Cardiac Imaging
David Liang: Medical Imaging, particularly forward-viewing intravascular ultrasound and digital echocardiography; applications of magnetic resonance imaging.
Phil Yang: Dr. Yang’s research interest focuses on comprehensive diagnosis of ischemic heart disease using cardiac MRI. Novel MR imaging sequences enabling rapid and integrated imaging of the coronary arteries, LV function, perfusion, and viability have been implemented. By combining chemical sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance with high sptial and temporal resolution, a wide range of biological events spanning from molecular to physiologic processes can be characterized. Specifically, in vivo MR imaging of stem cell biology and therapeutic effects on peri-infarct ischemia is investigated.
Michael McConnell: Imaging cardiovascular disease, with a focus on coronary and vascular atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease. Projects include cellular and structural characterization of atherosclerotic plaque by MRI, optical imaging (bioluminescence and fluorescence) of vascular imflammation, as well as noninvasive coronary angiography by MRI and MRI-guided cardiovascular interventions. Additional collaborative projects include real-time cardiac MRI and multi-modality imaging of cardiac stem cell transplantation. Resonance Systems Research Lab (MRSRL).
Ingela Schnittger: Echocardiographjy with particular interest in transesophageal echocardiography used as a diagnostic and monitoring tool and exercise/stress echocardiography, using echocardiography with treadmill testing or with pharmacologic.
Heart Failure and Cardiac Transplantation
Michael B. Fowler: Clinical and laboratory investigation in heart failure.
Randy Vagelos: Prognosis in congestive heart failure; experimental drug therapy in congestive heart failure.
Sharon Hunt: Immunosuppression for graft rejection; clinical management of transplant recipients; graft atherosclerosis.
Hannah A. Valantine: Pathophysiology of transplant coronary vasculopathy focusing on the role of diabetes and CMV infection. Noninvasive diagnosis of cardiac allograft rejection; pathobiology of graft rejection.
John S. Schroeder: Clinical efficacy of calcium channel blockers for CAD and prevention of transplant coronary vasculopathy; investigations of factors affecting survival following cardiac transplantation.
Mark Perlroth: Long term follow-up of heart transplantation recipients and adults with congenital heart disease; cyclosporine-induced hypertension and nephropathy; adriamycin cardiotoxicity.
Clinical Investigations
Robert F. DeBusk: Design, evaluate and disseminate disease management systems for chronic diseases including heart failure, coronary heart disease, and hypertension. Special interests include adaptation of distributed information management systems for decision support and creation/validation of psychometric indicators of adherence using the concept of self-efficacy. Active projects include NHLBI and Department of Veterans Affairs - sponsored randomized clinical trials of comprehensive management of heart failure using the MULTIFIT system.
John Giacomini: Cardiovascular pharmacology as it relates to treatment of hypertension and dyslipidemia.
William L. Haskell: Clinical trials for primary or secondary prevention of CHD; acute and chronic effects of exercise on CV status; determination and modification of CHD risk factors.
Mark Hlatky: Clinical epidemiology; clinical research methodology; technology assessment; economic and quality of life evaluation of clinical practices.
Stephen Fortmann: Cardiovascular disease prevention and epidemiology; community and clinical trial methods; experimental design; behavioral intervention methods; community surveillance of cardiovascular disease rates; preventive cardiology; tobacco use cessation and tobacco control; clinical management of lipid disorders.
Stanley Rockson: Risk factor modification in atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease; treatment of hypertension and lipid abnormalities; clinical trials involving medical therapies for peripheral arterial insufficiency, including angiogenesis and novel device-based interventions; clinical detection and evaluation of myocardial ischemic damage; coronary angiogenesis; natural history and treatment of lymphatic diseases.
Randy Vagelos: Markers of coronary ischemia; radiation induced cardiac disease.
Mark Perlroth: Medical education; cardiovascular physiology; Marfan Syndrome; General Clinical Cardiology including hypertension, atrial fibrillation, connective tissue disorders, porphyria, and diagnostic dilemmas.
Paul Heidenreich: Quality of care measures in ischemic heart disease and congestive heart failure; cost-effectiveness analysis of cardiovascular interventions; screening for LV systolic dysfunction; echocardiographic predictors of mortality.
Jonathan Myers: Dr. Myers coordinates the research activities in the exercise laboratory in the Cardiology Division at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. His research has focused on the areas of exercise training in chronic heart failure, diagnostic and prognostic applications of cardiopulmonary exercise testing, epidemiology related to cardiovascular disease, and cardiovascular health in disabled populations. His currently funded projects include the association between heart rate variability, physical activity patterns, and cardiovascular health, and the cost-effectiveness of an intensive, case-managed risk reduction program in patients at high risk for the development of cardiovascular disease.
Collaborating Faculty in Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Pharmacology, and Genetics
Richard Aldrich: Molecular mechanism of potassium channel gating.
Helen Blau: Role of neural cell adhesion molecules and the cis-trans interactions which govern the expression of muscle specific proteins; gene therapy.
David Botstein: Molecular genetics of tubulin examining structure-function relationships.
Eugene Butcher: Molecular, cellular and genetic mechanisms of leucocyte-endothelial cell interaction .
Uta Francke: Mapping of the mouse and human genome; studies of Marfan syndrome and familial aortic aneurysm.
Ronald Kopito: Molecular mechanisms of the regulation of intracellular pH.
Roel Nusse: Role of protooncogenes during embryogenesis.
Thomas Schwarz: Molecular biology and physiology of potassium channels.
James Spudich: Structure of myosin and the regulation of myosin motor functions and filament assembly.
Frank Stockdale: Molecular basis for regulation of myosin gene expression in the developing vertebrate heart.
Richard Tsien: Molecular biology and physiology of calcium channels; control of gene expression.
Nanette H. Bishopric: Transcriptional regulation of cardiac-specific gene expression; myocardial gene expression in models of ypertrophy and heart failure; molecular analysis of myocardial stress responses to hypoxia; proto-oncogene effects on cardiac myocyte growth, differentiation and cell cycle regulation.
Collaborating Clinical Departments and Outside Organizations
Stanford Prevention Research Center: environmental and bio-behavioral determinants of chronic disease; development, testing, and dissemination of innovative chronic disease prevention strategies.
Kaiser Permanente Department of Research: clinical studies evaluating the clinical and genetic determinants of stable and unstable coronary artery disease; outcomes of cardiovascular disease and treatment.
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery: clinical cardiac transplantation; animal studies in transplantation; postoperative evaluation; electrosurgery
Division of Clinical Pharmacology: pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of cardiovascular drugs.
Department of Electrical Engineering: cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.
Department of Mechanical Engineering: catheter design; fluid mechanics.
NASA-Ames Research Center: cardiovascular effects of microgravity.
Division of Nuclear Medicine: noninvasive studies using radioactive isotopes.
Palo Alto Medical Research Foundation: ventricular biomechanics.
Department of Pathology: studies assessing myocardial histopathology.
is using novel MR imaging sequences that enable rapid and integrated imaging of the coronary arteries as well as assessment of LV function, cardiac perfusion, and myocardial viability. By combining the chemical sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance with high spatial and temporal resolution, a wide range of biological events spanning from molecular to physiologic processes can be characterized. As an example, Dr. Yang's laboratory is currently investigating the in vivo MR imaging of stem cell biology as well as the therapeutic effects on peri-infarct ischemia. Dr. Yang's research is supported by a prestigious K23 award from the National Institutes of Health.
wire-based techniques for investigating the significance of epicardial coronary artery stenoses and for interrogating the status of the coronary microcirculation.
)on calcium and cardiac arrhythmias.