Strategically Focused Research Network Awardees

Award Activation: July 1, 2014

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Center Director: Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, FAHA
Training Director: Roger Hajjar, MD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Eric Schadt, PhD
Applying Cross-generation Genetic and Genomic Information to Improve Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Clinical
Project PI:
Zahi Fayad, PhD, FAHA
Two Intensive Life Style Intervention Programs in Related Caregivers of Preschool Children

Population
Project PI: Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, FAHA
Children Heart Research Study Program

Northwestern University

Center Director: Philip Greenland, MD, FAHA
Training Director: Mercedes Carnethon, PhD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Lifang Hou, MD, PhD
Epigenetics of Cardiovascular Health Metrics

Clinical
Project PI: Bonnie Spring, PhD, FAHA
Behavioral Effects on CVH Metrics and Score

Population
Project PI: Norrina Allen, PhD
Trajectories in Cardiovascular Health (CVH) Metrics and Score From Childhood through Middle-Age

University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Center Director: Joseph Hill, MD, PhD, FAHA
Training Director: James de Lemos, MD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Joseph Hill, MD, PhD, FAHA
Molecular mechanisms in the transition from cardiomyocyte hypertrophy to HFpEF

Clinical
Project PI: Benjamin Levine, MD
Novel HFpEF Prevention Strategies In High Risk Individuals: High Intensity Exercise Training Plus Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Population
Project PI: Jarrett Berry, MD, MS, FAHA
Association Between Physical Activity and Modifiable Intermediate Heart Failure Phenotypes

Vanderbilt University Center

Director: David Harrison, MD, FAHA
Training Director: Meena Madhur, MD, PhD, FACC

Basic
Project PI: David Harrison, MD, FAHA
Effect of Salt on Innate and Adaptive Immune Cells in Hypertension

Clinical
Project PI: Jens Titze, MD
Lowering Tissue Na+ Stores to Reduce Blood Pressure, Systemic Inflammation, and Metabolic Derangement in Aging Humans

Population
Project PI: Thomas Jue-Fuu Wang, MD, FAHA
Prevention of Hypertension and its Complications in a Medically-Underserved Population

Award Activation: April 1, 2015

Cincinnati Children's Hospital

Center Director: Elaine Urbina, MD, MS, FAHA
Training Director: Mark Mitsnefes, MD

Basic
Project PI: Richard Becker, MD, FAHA
Influence of Regulatory Genome on Target Organ Damage in Youth with Primary Hypertension

Clinical
Project PI: Joseph Flynn, MD, MS
Hemodynamic and Metabolic Predictors of Target Organ Damage in Youth with Primary Hypertension

Population
Project PI: Elaine Urbina, MD, MS, FAHA Threshold for Development of Blood Pressure-Related Target Organ Damage in Youth

Medical College of Wisconsin

Center Director: Mingyu Liang, MB, PhD
Training Director: Allen W. Cowley, Jr., PhD

Basic
Project PI: David L. Mattson, PhD, FAHA
Epigenetic Modification of Immune Mechanisms in Salt-Sensitive Hypertension and Renal Damage

Clinical
Project PI: Srividya Kidambi, MD, MS
Epigenomics of Hypertension in Monozygotic Twins and Effect of Salt Intake

Population
Project PI: Theodore A. Kotchen, MD, FAHA
Epigenomic Modifications in Hypertension and Hypertension-Related Cardiovascular Diseases

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Center Director: Paul Muntner, PhD, MHS
Training Director: Suzanne Oparil, MD, FACC, FAHA, FASH

Basic
Project PI: Jennifer Pollock, PhD, FAHA
Novel Mechanisms of Salt-sensitivity and Diurnal Blood Pressure Rhythm

Clinical
Project PI: David Calhoun, MD, FAHA
Mechanisms of Nocturnal Hypertension and Non-dipping Blood Pressure

Population
Project PI: Paul Muntner, PhD, MHS
Racial Differences and US population estimates of Nocturnal Hypertension and Non-dipping

University of Iowa

Center Director: Curt D. Sigmund, PhD, FAHA
Training Director: Kimberly K. Leslie, MD

Basic
Project PI: Justin L. Grobe, PhD, FAHA
Molecular Mechanisms of Vasopressin-Induced Preeclampsia

Clinical
Project PI: Gary L. Pierce, PhD
Early Vascular Dysfunction and Elevated Copeptin in Human Preeclampsia

Population
Project PI: Mark K. Santillan, MD, PhD, FACOG, FAHA
Predicting Preeclampsia via Copeptin: Underrepresented Minorities & Synergy with Other Biomarkers

Award Activation: July 1, 2015

Medical University of South Carolina

Center Director: Robert Adams, MD, MS
Training Director: Daniel Lackland, DrPH, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Mark Kindy, PhD, FAHA
Metabolic determinants of vascular stiffness in health disparities related stroke

Clinical
Project PI: Leonardo Bonilha, MD, PhD
Influence of pre-morbid brain health on stroke recovery

Population
Project PI: Gayenell Magwood, PhD
Community-based Intervention under Nurse Guidance after Stroke (CINGS)

Morehouse School of Medicine

Center Director: Herman Taylor Jr., MD, MPH, FACC, FAHA
Training Directors: Gregory Strayhorn, MD, PhD and Sandra Dunbar, RN, PhD, FAAN, FAHA, FPCNA

Basic
Project PIs: Charles Searles, MD, FAHA/Dean Jones, PhD
MicroRNA and metabolic profiles associated with social and environmental risk factors in blacks

Clinical
Project PIs: Arshed Quyyumi, MD/Priscilla Pemu, MBBS, MSCR, FACP
Impact of technology-based Intervention for improving self-management behaviors in Black adults

Population
Project PIs: Peter Baltrus, PhD/Tené Lewis, PhD
Social and Environmental Factors contributing to Cardiovascular Risk and Resilience among Blacks

Northwestern University

Center Directors: Myles Wolf, MD, MMSc and Mercedes Carnethon, PhD, FAHA
Training Director: Clyde Yancy, MD, MSc, MACC, FAHA, MACP

Basic
Project PI: Myles Wolf, MD, MMSc
Molecular Mechanisms of Cardiac Injury Induced by FGF23 in the Settings of High Phosphate Diet and CKD

Clinical
Project PI: Orlando Gutierrez, MD, MMSc
Impact of lowering phosphate additive intake on mineral metabolism and cardiovascular health in community-living adults

Population
Project PI: Mercedes Carnethon, PhD, FAHA
Contribution of Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 to Racial Disparities in Left Ventricular Mass and Albumin/Creatinine Ratio

University of Colorado Denver

Center Director: Spero Manson, PhD
Training Director: Spero Manson, PhD

Basic
Project PI: Irene Blair, PhD
Discrimination and Allostatic Load Among American Indians

Clinical
Project PI: Edward Havranek, MD
An Intervention to Increase Engagement with Hypertension Care for American Indian Patients

Population
Project PI: John Steiner, MD, MPH
Improving Hypertension Care of American Indians and Alaska Natives through Interactive Voice Response Technology

Award Activation: April 1, 2016

Columbia University Medical Center

Center Director: Lori Mosca, MD, MPH, PhD, FAHA
Training Director: Anne Taylor, MD

Basic
Project PI: Sanja Jelic, MD
The Effects of Sleep Restriction on Endothelial Activation in Pre- and Post-Menopausal Women

Clinical
Project PI: Marie Pierre St-Onge, PhD, FAHA
Impact of Sleep Restriction on Cardio Metabolic Risk Factors in Pre- vs Postmenopausal Women

Population
Project PI: Brooke Aggarwal, EdD, MS, CHES
Sleep and Cardio Metabolic Risk in Different Life Stages in a Diverse Population of Women

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Center Director: Pamela Ouyang, MBBS, FAHA
Training Director: Erin Michos, MD, MHS, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: David Kass, MD, FAHA
Female Sex-Hormones and Cyclic GMP-PKG Modulation of Cardiac Disease and Metabolism

Clinical
Project PI: Sanjiv Shah, MD, FAHA
Role of Female Sex and Hormone Status on HFpEF Pathophysiology and Therapy

Population
Project PIs: Wendy Post, MD, MS/Dhananjay Vaidya, MBBS, PhD, MPH
Sex Differences in Hormonal and Cyclic GMP Dependent Pathways to Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation

Center Director: Carl Hubel, PhD
Training Director: James Roberts, MD

Basic
Project PI: Robert Powers, PhD
The Influence of Pregnancy on Future Vascular Dysfunction and Atherosclerosis

Clinical
Project PI: Carl Hubel, PhD Glycocalyx
Pathways Linking Pregnancy Profile with Microvascular Dysfunction Postpartum

Population
Project PI: Janet Catov, PhD, MS
The Placenta as a Window to Maternal Microvascular Disease Risk

New York University Medical Center

Center Director: Judith Hochman, MD, FAHA
Training Director: Glenn Fishman, MD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Jeffrey Berger, MD, FAHA
Comprehensive Assessment of Platelet Activity in Women with Myocardial Infarction

Clinical
Project PI: Harmony Reynolds, MD, FAHA
Mechanistic Insights into Myocardial Infarction with Non-obstructive Coronary Artery Disease (The MINOCA Study)

Population
Project PI: Tanya Spruill, PhD
Telephone-Based Stress Management for Women with Myocardial Infarction

University of California, San Diego

Center Director: Matthew Allison, MD, MPH, FAHA
Training Director: Matthew Allison, MD, MPH, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Dorothy Sears, PhD
Mechanistic Transducers and Biomarkers of Sedentary Behavior-Associated Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Latina Women

Clinical
Project PI: Jacqueline Kerr, PhD, MSc
Randomized Control Trial to Reduce Sitting Time in Postmenopausal Latina Women at Increased Risk for Heart Disease

Population
Project PI: Sheila Castaneda, PhD
Biopsychosocial and Ecological Correlates of Latina Women's Sedentary Behavior

Award Activation: July 1, 2016

Duke University Medical Center

Center Director: G. Michael Felker, MD, MHS, FACC, FAHA
Training Director: Joseph Rogers, MD

Basic
Project PI: Svati Shah, MD, MHS, FAHA
Branched Chain Amino Acid and other Metabolic Pathways in Diabetic Heart Failure

Clinical
Project PI: G. Michael Felker, MD, MHS, FACC, FAHA
A randomized trial of a mobile health behavioral intervention in patients with heart failure and diabetes mellitus

Population
Project PI: Adam DeVore, MD, MHS
Improving Population Health for Patients with Diabetes and Heart Failure (IMPAcT-HF)

Massachusetts General Hospital

Center Director: Anthony Rosenzweig, MD, FAHA Training Director: Christopher Newton-Cheh, MD, MPH

Basic
Project PI: Anthony Rosenzweig, MD, FAHA
Functional roles of circulating ncRNAs in pathological hypertrophy and heart failure

Clinical
Project PI: Saumya Das, MD, PhD, MSc
Extracellular RNAs as Mediators of Cardiac Remodeling in Human Heart Failure

Population
Project PI: Jane Freedman, MD, FAHA
Extracellular RNA, Adverse Left Ventricular Remodeling, and Heart Failure Progression

University of Colorado, Denver

Center Director: Peter Buttrick, MD, FAHA
Training Director: Peter Buttrick, MD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Timothy McKinsey, PhD, FAHA
Epigenetic Readers as Downstream Effectors of Beta1-Adrenergic Receptor Signaling in HFrEF

Clinical
Project PI: Michael Bristow, MD, PhD, FAHA
Therapeutic Molecular and Structural Phenotypic Changes of Heart Rate Reduction in HFrEF

Population
Project PI: Larry Allen, MD, MHSc, FAHA
Electronic health record-leveraged, Patient-centered, Intensification of Chronic care for Heart Failure (EPIC-HF)

University of Utah

Center Director: Craig Selzman, MD, FAHA
Training Director: James Fang, MD, FACC, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: E. Dale Abel, MD, PhD
Coupling glucose uptake and pyruvate utilization to increase myocardial recovery in heart failure

Clinical
Project PI: Stavros Drakos, MD, PhD, FAHA
Predictors of myocardial recovery in chronic heart failure

Population
Project PI: Josef Stehlik, MD, MPH, FAHA
Patient-reported outcomes as an indicator of disease transitions in heart failure

Award Activation: April 1, 2017

Johns Hopkins University

Center Director: Jeanne M. Clark, MD, MPH
Training Director: Edgar R. Miller, III, MD, PhD

Basic
Project PI: Rexford S. Ahima, MD, PhD
Metabolic and Cardiovascular Effects of Time-Restricted Feeding in Obese Mice

Clinical
Project PI: Nisa M. Maruthur, MD, MHS
The Effect of Time-Restricted, Isocaloric Feeding on Weight: A Randomized Feeding Study in Obese Adults

Population
Project PI: Wendy Bennett, MD, MPH
The impact of timing of eating on weight: A Multi-Site Cohort Study using The Metabolic Compass Mobile Application

New York University Medical Center

Center Director: Ann Marie Schmidt, MD
Training Director: Glenn Fishman, MD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Ann Marie Schmidt, MD
RAGE/DIAPH1: Inflammation and Suppression of Energy Expenditure in Obesity - Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies

Clinical
Project PI: Ira J. Goldberg, MD, FAHA
Obesity, Inflammation and Cardiovascular Risk

Population
Project PI: Mary Ann Sevick, ScD, RN Alternative technology-supported behavioral weight loss intervention programs

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Center Director: W. Timothy Garvey, MD
Training Director: David B. Allison, PhD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: W. Timothy Garvey, MD
Intergenerational Transmission of Obesity in Mouse Models of in Utero Stress

Clinical
Project PI: Lorie M. Harper, MD
Intergenerational Transmission of Obesity: Antenatal Mother and Beyond Birth Offspring

Population
Project PI: Paula C. Chandler-Laney, PhD
Intergenerational Transmission of Obesity in a Cohort of mother-child dyads

Vanderbilt University

Center Director: Kevin Niswender, MD, PhD
Training Directors: Alyssa H. Hasty, PhD, FAHA and Joshua A. Beckman, MD, MSc, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Kevin Niswender, MD, PhD
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor and cardiometabolic health

Clinical
Project PI: Nancy J. Brown, MD, FAHA
Vascular effects of GLP-1 receptor activation

Population
Project PI: Nancy J. Cox, PhD
Genome and Phenome Studies on Obesity and CVD to Dissect GLP1R Mechanism

Award Activation: July 1, 2017

Children’s National Health System

Center Director: Craig Sable, MD, FAHA
Training Director: Craig Sable, MD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: James Dale, MD
Human Immunity to Potential Group A Streptococcal Vaccine Antigens in Subjects at High Risk for Rheumatic Heart Disease

Clinical
Project PI: Andrea Beaton, MD
Working Towards a Better Understanding of Acute Rheumatic Fever

Population
Project PI: David Watkins, MD, MPH
Building a Case to Invest in Rheumatic Heart Disease Prevention and Control in Limited Resource Settings

University of Utah

Center Director: Martin Tristani-Firouzi, MD
Training Director: H. Joseph Yost, PhD

Basic
Project PI: Mark Yandell, PhD
An integrated data-science, transcriptomics, and genomics approach to understanding Complex CHD

Clinical
Project PI: Robert Silver, MD
Maternal-fetal environment, epigenetics and complex congenital heart disease

Population
Project PI: Angela Fagerlin, PhD, MA
Improving Patient and Family Health Using Family-Centered Outcomes and Shared Decision-Making

Northwestern University

Center Directors: Bradley Marino, MD, MPP, MSCE, FAHA and Donald M Lloyd-Jones, MD, ScM, FAHA
Training Director: Matthew Davis, MD

Basic
Project PI: Lifang Hou, MD, MSc
Characterizing Dynamic Epigenomic Markers of CVH in Early Life

Clinical
Project PI: Linda Van Horn, PhD, RD, FAHA
Keeping Ideal Cardiovascular Health Family Intervention Trial: KIDFIT

Population
Project PI: Norrina Allen, PhD, MPH, FAHA
Cardiovascular Health Trajectories from Birth Through Adolescence

Duke University Medical School

Center Director: Jennifer Li, MD, MHSc
Training Director: Asheley Skinner, PhD

Basic
Project PI: Svati Shah, MD, MHS, FAHA
Microbiota Related Molecular Pathways in Pediatric Obesity

Clinical
Project PI: Sarah Armstrong, MD
A randomized trial of an integrated clinic-community intervention in children and adolescents with obesity

Population
Project PI: Asheley Skinner, PhD
Effectiveness and implementation of tertiary-care pediatric obesity treatment programs

Award Activation: April 1, 2018

Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center

Center Director: Marc Bonaca, MD, MPH and Mark Creager, MD, FAHA, FACC
Training Director: Marc Bonaca, MD, MPH and Philip Goodney, MD, MS

Basic
Project PI: Mark Feinberg, MD
Non-Coding RNAs in Diabetic Critical Limb Ischemia: Discovery, Pathobiology, and Therapeutic Intervention

Clinical
Project PI: Marc Bonaca, MD, MPH
Risk Prediction and Personalizing Therapy to Prevent Critical Limb Ischemia in Patients with PAD and Diabetes

Population
Project PIs: Philip Goodney, MD, MS and Mark Creager, MD, FAHA, FACC
Integrated Management Strategies to Reduce Amputation and Limit Disparities for Patients with Diabetes and CLI

Northwestern University

Center Director: Mary M. McDermott, MD, FAHA
Training Director: Mercedes Carnethon, PhD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Christiaan Leeuwenburgh, PhD
Calf Muscle Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Impaired Autophagy in Peripheral Artery Disease

Clinical
Project PI: Mary M. McDermott, MD, FAHA
NICotinamidE Riboside with and without Resveratrol to Improve Functioning in Peripheral Artery Disease: The NICE Trial

Population
Project PI: Philip Greenland, MD, FAHA Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Disability in Peripheral Artery Disease

University of Kentucky

Center Directors: Alan Daugherty, PhD, DSc
Training Director: Nancy Webb, PhD

Basic
Project PI: Alan Daugherty, PhD, DSC
Role of Sex Hormones on Elastin Stability in Formation of Thoracic Aortopathies

Basic Project PI: Lisa Cassis, PhD
Sexual Dimorphism of Aortopathies

Clinical
Project PI: Scott LeMaire, MD
Molecular Signature of Sex Chromosome Genes Associated with Sex-Dependent Susceptibility to Ascending Aortic Aneurysms

Vanderbilt University

Center Director: Joshua Beckman, MD, MS
Training Director: Joshua Beckman, MD, MS

Basic
Project PI: David Wasserman, PhD
The Link between Microcirculatory Dysfunction and Skeletal Muscle Insulin Resistance

Clinical
Project PI: Joshua Beckman, MD, MS
The Impact of Branched-Chain Amino Acids Metabolism on Limb Dysfunction in PAD

Population
Project PIs: Matthew Freiberg, MD and Quinn Wells, PharmD, MD
Clinical and Genetic Determinants of Peripheral Artery Disease, Microvascular Disease, and Major Adverse Limb Outcomes

Award Activation: July 1, 2018 

Boston University (Mass.)

Research Focus: Advancing Atrial Fibrillation Precision Medicine
Center Director: Emelia Benjamin, MD, ScM, FAHA
Training Director: Emelia Benjamin, MD, ScM, FAHA

Basic
Patrick Ellinor, MD, PhD, FAHA
Genomics and Epigenetics of Atrial Fibrillation

Clinical
Steven Lubitz, MD, MPH, FAHA
Precision Medicine in Ischemic Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation (PreMISe-AF)

Population
Kathryn Lunetta, PhD, MS
Clinical and Genetic Prediction of Lifetime Risk of Atrial Fibrillation and its Complications

Cleveland Clinic (Ohio) 

Research Focus: Translational Strategies for the Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation Development and Progression
Center Director: Mina K. Chung, MD, FAHA, FACC, FHRS
Training Director: Christine Moravec, PhD

Basic
Jonathan Smith, PhD, FAHA
Gene-Aging-Metabolism Interaction in Atrial Fibrillation Pathogenesis

Clinical
Mina K. Chung, MD, FAHA, FACC, FHRS
Upstream Targeting for the Prevention of AF: Targeting Risk Interventions and Metformin for Atrial Fibrillation (TRIM-AF)

Population
David Van Wagoner, PhD, FAHA, FHRS
Multi-omic Analysis of Atrial Metabolism, Electrophysiology and Atrial Fibrillation Progression

Northwestern University (Ill.)

Research Focus: Atrial Myopathy in Atrial Fibrillation
Center Director: Rod Passman, MD, MSCE
Training Director: Philip Greenland, MD, FAHA

Basic
Rishi Arora, MD
The Role of Oxidative Stress in Creating a Vulnerable Substrate for Atrial Fibrillation in the Intact Atrium

Clinical
Rod Passman, MD, MSCE
Atrial Myopathy: Structure and Function in AF Ablation

Population
Philip Greenland, MD, FAHA
Atrial Substrate in Atrial Fibrillation and AF-Associated Brain Disease

Vanderbilt University (Tenn.)

Research Focus: A Novel Molecular Target in Atrial Fibrillation
Center Director: Dan Roden, MD, FAHA
Training Director: Bjorn Knollmann, MD, PhD, FAHA

Basic
Katherine Murray, MD, FAHA
Reactive Lipid Metabolites as Mediators of AF Susceptibility in Clinical and Genetic Risk Models

Clinical
Gregory Michaud, MD
A First-in-Atrial Fibrillation Trial of a Reactive Lipid Metabolite Scavenger

Population
Dan Roden, MD, FAHA
Identifying Atrial Fibrillation Subtypes Driven by Inflammation

The Joe and Linda Chlapaty DECIDE Center at Stanford University (Calif.)

Research Focus: Decision-Making Pathway for Atrial Fibrillation Stroke Prevention
Center Director: Paul Wang, MD, FAHA

Clinical
Randall Stafford, MD, PhD
Behavioral Science (Prevention/Intervention)

AHA-PCORI DECIDE Center at University of Utah

Research Focus: Studying Effectiveness in Patient-centered care
Center Director: Angie Fagerlin, PhD

Clinical
Victor Montori, MD, MSc
Scan & Optimization of Decision Aids for Atrial Fibrillation (SODA-AF)

Population
Elissa Ozanne, PhD
RED-AF: Randomized Evaluation of Decision Support Interventions for Atrial Fibrillation

Award Activation: July 1, 2019

University of Michigan

Center Director: Robert Neumar, MD, PhD, FAHA
Training Director: David Pinsky, MD

Basic
Project PI: Thomas Sanderson, PhD
Early Neuroprotective Therapies for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Clinical
Project PI: Robert Silbergleit, MD, FAHA
Bystander and First Responders Clinical Trials for Early Neuroprotective Therapies in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Population
Project PI: Brahmajee Nallamothu, MD, MPH, FAHA
Optimizing Bystander and First Responder Time to Treatment in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Northwestern University

Center Director: Elizabeth McNally, MD, PhD
Training Director: Rishi Arora, MD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Alfred “Al” George, MD
Correlating SCD Risk with Cell Autonomous Susceptibility

Clinical
Project PI: Elizabeth McNally, MD, PhD
Genomics of Arrhythmias and Sudden Death

Population
Project PI: Laura Rasmussen- Torvik, PhD, MPH, FAHA
Integration of Genomics into Clinical Care for SCD

Vanderbilt University

Center Director: Bjorn Knollman, MD, PhD
Training Director: Dan Roden, MD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Bjorn Knollman, MD, PhD
The Mechanistic Role of RyR2 Hyperactivity for Ventricular Arrhythmia in Animal Models of Structural Heart Disease

Basic
Project PI: Igor Efimov, PhD
Test the Mechanistic Role of RyR2 Hyperactivity for Ventricular Arrhythmia in the Ex Vivo Human Heart

Clinical
Project PI: William Stevenson, MD
Project Co-PIs: Scott Akers, PharmD, PhD and Benjamin Shoemaker, MD
A Clinical Trial of RyR2 Inhibition to Prevent Ventricular Arrhythmias in Patients with Structural Heart Disease

University of Washington

Center Director: Nona Sotoodehnia, MD, MPHD
Training Director: Francis Kim, MD and Michael Sayre, MD, FAHA

Clinical
Project PI: Ilan Goldenberg, MD
Project Co-PI: Wojciech Zareba, MD, PhD
Sex-Specific Risk for QTc Prolongation and Arrhythmic Events in Congenital Long QT Syndrome and Drug-Induced LQTS

Clinical
Project PI: Thomas Rea, MD, MPH
Project Co-PI: Peter Kudenchuk, MD
Precision Medicine Resuscitation: Novel Strategy for Real-Time Rhythm Assessment during CPR in Men and Women

Population
Project PI: Dan Arking, PhD
Project Co-PI: Nona Sotoodehnia, MD, MPH
Genomics of Sudden Cardiac Arrest Risk among Men and Women

Award Activation: January 1, 2020

Brigham & Women's Hospital

Center Directors: Mark Feinberg, MD, FAHA and Marc Sabatine, MD, MPH, FAHA
Training Directors: Vanita Aroda, MD and Jessica Fetterman, PhD

Basic
Project PI: Mark Feinberg, MD, FAHA
Non-coding RNAs in Ischemic Myocardial Disease and Diabetes: Discovery, Pathobiology, and Therapeutic

Clinical
Project PI: Marc Sabatine, MD, MPH, FAHA
Risk Prediction and Personalizing Therapy to Reduce Major Vascular, Heart Failure, and Renal Events in Diabetes

Clinical
Project PI: Naomi Hamburg, MD, FAHA
Restoring Vascular and Endothelial Health in Patients with Diabetes

University of Iowa

Center Director: Evan Abel, MD, PhD, FAHA
Training Director: Kamal Rahmouni, PhD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Ethan Anderson, PhD
A Heart-Liver-Adipose Axis: The Role of Inter-organ Crosstalk in Cardiometabolic Risk

Clinical
Project PI: Saumya Das MD, PhD
Adipose-derived Regulators of Inter-organ Communication in Type II Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiometabolic Disease

Population
Project PI: Ravi Shah, MD, FAHA
Molecular Signatures of Dysfunctional Adiposity and Cardiometabolic Disease in Young Adulthood: the CARDIA Study

New York University

Center & Training Director: Ira Goldberg, MD, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Edward Fisher, MD, MPH, PhD, FAHA
Mechanisms that Retard Atherosclerosis Regression in Insulin Resistant and Obese Mice

Clinical
Project PI: Jeffrey Berger, MD, FAHA
Diabetes and the Platelet Phenotype: Influence of Sex, Cholesterol Lowering and Cardiovascular Events

Population
Project PI: Chiara Giannarelli, MD, PhD
Determinants of Pathological Changes in Atherosclerosis in Women and Men with Diabetes

Johns Hopkins University

Center Directors: Chiadi Ndumele, MD, PhD, FAHA and Rexford Ahima, MD, PhD
Training Director: Erin Michos, MD, MHS, FAHA

Basic
Project PI: Rexford Ahima, MD, PhD
Divergent Adipokine Mouse Models and Diabetic Cardiomyopathy

Population
Project Co-PI: Chiadi Ndumele, MD, PhD, FAHA
Project Co-PI: Elizabeth Selvin, PhD, FAHA
Serum Adipokines, Metabolic Risk Progression, and Heart Failure

Award Activation: April 1, 2020

Boston University

Integrated Digital Technology Platform for Optimization of Precision Brain Health

Center Director: Rhoda Au, PhD
Training Director: Vijaya Kolachalama, PhD

Clinical
Project PI: Rhoda Au, PhD
Digital Phenotyping of Brain Health

Clinical
Project PI: Honghuang Lin, PhD
Futurizing Brain Health Monitoring Platform

Clinical
Project PI: Vijaya Kolachalama, PhD
Discovery and Validation of Digital Biomarkers

Cincinnati Children's Hospital

Active Detection and Decentralized Dynamic Registry to Improve Uptake of Rheumatic Heart Disease Secondary Prevention

Center Director: Andrea Beaton, MD
Training Director: Elaine Urbina, MD, FAHA

Clinical
Project PI: Andrea Beaton, MD
Active Detection and Decentralized Dynamic Registry to Improve Uptake of Rheumatic Heart Disease Secondary Prevention

Johns Hopkins University

Center for Mobile Technologies to Reduce Disparities in Cardiovascular Health

Co-Center Directors: Seth Martin, MD, MHS and David Newman-Toker, MD, PhD
Co-Training Directors: Erin Michos, MD, MHS, FAHA and Najila Nassery, MD

Clinical
Project PI: Seth Martin, MD, MHS
Advancing Mobile Technologies to Reduce Disparities in Cardiovascular Health

Stanford University

Center for Heart Health Technology (H2T): Innovation to Implementation

Center & Training Director: Mintu Turakhia, MD

Clinical
Project PI: Paul Wang, MD
Technology-Enabled Management of Hypertension in Underrepresented Communities and in the Gig Economy

University of Michigan

Center Director: Brahmajee Nallamothu, MD, MPH
Training Director: Bhramar Mukherjee, PhD

Population
Project PI: Lesli Skolarus, MD, MSc
Wearables In Reducing risk and Enhancing Daily Life-style (WIRED-L) Project

Award Activation: July 1, 2021

Augusta University
Research Focus:  Obesity-related disparities in the bidirectional risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer

Center Director: Neal Weintraub, MD, FAHA
Training Director David Stepp, PhD

Basic
Neal Weintraub, MD, FAHA
DARC and Chemokine Control in Cardiometabolic Disease and Cancer

Clinical
Ryan Harris, PhD
Health Disparities and Vascular Aging Over Time in New Onset Cancer

Population
Avirup Guha, MBBS
Role of Obesity, Ancestry and Social Determinants of Health for Cancer development in African American Individuals with Cardiovascular Disease

Boston University School of Medicine 
Research Focus: Cancer-Associated Thromboembolism as Affected by Health Disparities (CAT-HD)

Co-Center Directors: Katya Ravid, DSc and Vipul Chitalia, MD, PhD
Co-Training Directors: Emelia Benjamin, MD, ScM, FAHA and George Murphy, PhD

Basic
Vipul Chitalia, MD
Targeted mechanisms of compromised diet-associated vasculo-thrombosis in experimental cancer models

Population
Nathanael Fillmore, PhD
“Development and molecular validation of a health-disparities-informed thromboembolism risk model in cancer patients” 

Medical College of Wisconsin
Research Focus: Understanding and Addressing Disparities in Cancer Therapy Induced Inflammation and Associated Endothelial Dysfunction

Center Director: Melinda Stolley, PhD
Training Director David Gutterman, MD, FAHA

Basic
Alison Kriegel, PhD, FAHA
Impact of CTx and Exercise on Immune and Endothelial Cells- Comparative study of B/AA vs. white BC patients

Clinical
Andreas Beyer, PhD, FAHA
Defining Differences in Endothelial Function and Response to CTx among a Diverse Population of Women with BC

Population
Kirsten Beyer, PhD
Taking Charge During Treatment: exercise to improve fitness and quality of life among diverse breast cancer survivors

University of Pennsylvania
Research Focus: Understanding and Reducing Racial Disparities in High Risk Cardio-Oncology Communities

Center Director: Bonnie Ky, MD
Training Director: Clyde Yancy, MD, FAHA

Basic
Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, FAHA
The Role of Genomic Ancestry in Mediating Breast and Prostate Cancer Therapy Cardiotoxicity

Clinical
Bonnie Ky, MD
Phenotyping the Social Determinants of Cardiovascular Health in Cancer Patients and Survivors

Population
Kevin Volpp, MD, PhD
Saro Armenian, DO, MPH
Increasing Physical Activity to Improve CV Health in Racially Diverse Cancer Survivor Communities