Description of the Theme
The CVRI Congenital Developmental Heart Disease Theme researchers conduct a wide spectrum of basic science as well as clinical and translational studies. The Texas Children’s Hospital Heart Center and Baylor College of Medicine drive pediatric cardiovascular disease care through scientific discovery and treatment innovation. Funded efforts include projects pursued as a Core Center for the NHLBI Pediatric Heart Network, other funded clinical research projects, and fundamental basic science projects. The basic research projects investigate molecular and biomechanical regulation of heart and vascular development, the roles of intercellular communication in cardiomyocyte proliferation, genetic pathways involved in cardiac development and regeneration, as well as mechanisms of abnormal cardiovascular development. In these efforts, the researchers take advantage of genetic mouse models and state-of-the-art embryonic imaging and phenotyping resources established at BCM through the NIH-funded Knockout Mouse Production and Phenotyping Project for lethal lines as well as unique new technologies for cardiovascular imaging being developed by the faculty of the Optical Imaging and Vital Microscopy (OIVM) Core and other Advanced Technology Cores.
Theme Leaders
Current Clinical Projects
Pediatric Heart Network Studies
Title of Study | Principal Investigator(s) |
Multi-Institutional Neurocognitive Discovery Study (Minds) in Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) | Peter Ermis |
Fontan-Associated Liver Disease (FALD) | Daniel Penny |
Fontan Udenafil Exercise Longitudinal Assessment Trial and Open Label Extension (FUEL, FUEL OLE) | Daniel Penny |
Perceptions of Participation in a Pediatric Research Study the FUEL and FUEL OLE Trials | Daniel Penny |
Minds Imaging Ancillary Study | Peter Ermis |
(FORCE) Fontan Outcome Registry Using CMR Examinations | Justin Weigand |
Use of Oxandrolone to Promote Growth in Infants with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: a Phase I/II Pilot Study | Rocky Tsang |
Perceptions Oxandrolone Ancillary Study | Rocky Tsang |
Dyslipidemia Of Obesity Intervention Trial (DO-IT) | Justin Zachariah |
Analgesia And Sedation After CHS nn Down Syndrome | Barbara-Jo Achuff |
Team 4 Growth Study | Rocky Tsang |
Long-Term Outcomes after the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children | Lara Shekerdemian |
Researching Covid to Enhance Recovery | Lara Shekerdemian |
Child Down Syndrome | Lisa Noll |
Clinical Trial First Prospective Study to Compare Efficacy and Outcomes of Shunt Versus Stent for Neonates with Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease | Athar Qureshi |
Clinical Research Studies- Federal, Industry, Other
Title of Study | Principal Investigator(s) |
Genetic Investigations in Atrial Arrhythmias | Christina Miyake |
A Prospective, Randomized, Open Label, Multi-Center Study of the Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Apixaban Versus Vitamin K Antagonist or LMWH in Pediatric Subjects with Congenital or Acquired Heart Disease Requiring Chronic Anticoagulation or Thromboembolism Prevention | Asra Khan |
Fetal Atrial Flutter & Supraventricular Tachycardia (FAST) Therapy Trial | Shaine Morris |
Alterra: Multicenter Study of Congenital Pulmonic Valve Dysfunction Studying the Sapien 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve with the Alterra Adaptive Prestent | Gary Stapletion |
Evaluation of Contribution of HLA Type and HLA Antibodies in Survival after Pediatric Heart Transplantation | Joseph Spinner |
Development of a Risk Calculator to Predict Sudden Cardiac Death in Children with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy | Taylor Howard |
Rubato (Prospective, Multi-Center, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study Assessing The Efficacy And Safety Of Macitentan in Fontan-Palliated Adult and Adolescent Subjects) | Angeline Opina Gonzalez |
Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve Clinical Study | Athar Qureshi |
Multi-Centre, Open-Label, Safety Study of Etripamil Nasal Spray in Spontaneous Episodes of Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia | Wilson Lam |
Building Mobile Technologies to Reduce Disparities in Congenital Heart Disease | Keila Lopez |
Development of a Polymeric Percutaneous Pulmonary Valve for use in Young Children | Kwon Soo Chun |
Surveillance and Treatment to Prevent Fetal Atrioventricular Block Likely to Occur Quickly (STOP BLOQ) | Tam Doan |
The Discovery of Novel Genes in Inherited Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndromes | Christina Miyake |
Year 4: Multi-Site Validation Study of the Hlhs Arrest Predictor | Craig Rusin |
Improving Adherence to Penicillin Among Children with Rheumatic Heart Disease in Malawi, Africa | Amy Sanyahumbi |
Investigating Parasitism-Induced Immune Dysregulation and Susceptibility to Acute Rheumatic Fever in Children | Amy Sanyahumbi |
Causal Mechanisms in Adolescent Arterial Stiffness | Justin Zachariah |
Evaluating the Effects of Moderate Physical Activity on Health and Well-Being in Adolescents and Young Adults with Marfan Syndrome | Shaine Morris |
Multimodal Chest E-Tattoo with Customized IC and Deep Learning Algorithm for Tracking and Predicting Progressive Pneumonia | Craig Rusin |
A Ready-To-Feed, Nutrient-Dense Infant Formula in the Dietary Management of Infants with Growth Failure (GROW-IN) | Rocky Tsang |
Advancing Research in Coronary Anomalies through Capacity Building and Community Engagement | Silvana Molossi |
Amplatzer Duct Occluder II Additional Sizes (ADO II AS) Clinical Study | Manish Bansa Gary Stapleton |
Development of a Novel Fully Implantable Circulatory Support Device with Dual-Impeller in Single Drive System for Long-Term Use in the Fontan Circulation | Christopher Broda |
Collaborative for Longitudinal Aortic Imaging in the Young (CLARITY) | Shaine Morris |
Current Basic Research Projects
Title of Study | Principal Investigator(s) | ID Number |
Dynamic regulation of embryonic endothelial cell migration in response to hemodynamic force | Mary Dickinson | R01HD099026 |
Mechanisms of Abnormal Diaphragm and Cardiac Development | Daryl Scott | R01HD098458 |
The BCM Knockout Mouse Production and Phenotyping Project (BCM KOMP2) | Mary Dickinson Jason Heaney | UM1HG006348 |
Biomechanics of Early Mammalian Cardiogenesis | Irina Larina | R01HL120140 |
Regulation of Hematopoietic Progenitors by de novo DNA Methylation | Peggy Goodell | R01DK092883 |
Modifiable Drivers of Expansion and Malignant Transformation from Clonal Hematopoiesis | Peggy Goodell Katherine King | P01CA265748 |
DNMT3A in Development of Hematologic Malignancies | Peggy Goodell | R01CA183252 |
Pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutics for the cardiac manifestations of myotonic dystrophy type 1 | Thomas Cooper | R01HL147020 |
Cytoskeletal Control of Yap in Heart Regeneration | James Martin | R01HL169511 |
Hippo and Wnt Signaling in Cardiac Regeneration | James Martin | R01HL127717 |
Explore the roles of intercellular communication in cardiomyocyte proliferation and renewal | Liang Xie | R01HL166549 |
Impact of Infection and Inflammation on Primitive Hematopoiesis | Katherine King | R35HL155672 |
Research Faculty
Sebastian Acosta, Ph.D., M.S., B.S. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Iki Adachi, M.D. | Congenital Heart Surgery |
Dean Andropoulos, M.D. | Brain protection for infant cardiac surgery |
Deidra Ansah, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Ayse Arikan, M.D. | Pediatrics - Critical Care Medicine |
Natahsa Afonso, M.D., MPH | Pediatric - Critical Care Medicine |
Rahul Baijal, M.D. | Pediatrics - Anesthesiology |
Manish Bansal, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Ziyad Binsalamah M.B., B.S., M.SC., M.SC. | Congenital Heart Service |
Ravi Birla PH.D., M.B.A. | Congenital Heart Surgery |
Christopher Broda, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiologys |
Christopher Caldarone, M.D. | Congenital Heart Surgery |
Lisa Caplan M.D., B.S. | Pediatrics - Anesthesiology |
Arvind Chandrakantan, M.D. | Pediatrics - Anesthesiology |
Swati Choudhry, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Thomas Cooper, M.D. | Pathology & Immunology; Alternative splicing in cardiac |
Susan Denfield, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Mary Dickinson, Ph.D. | Integrative Physiology; Cardiovascular developmental biology |
Tam Doan, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
William Dreyer, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology; New heart failure therapies, management |
Ronald Easley, M.D. | Pediatrics - Anesthesiology, New methods for monitoring and |
Peter Ermis, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Saul Flores, M.D. | Congenital Heart Service |
Yuxin Fan, M.D., Ph.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology; Diagnostic tests for acquired and |
Peggy Goodell, M.D. | Molecular & Cellular Biology; Hematopoietic stem cells, |
Srinath Gowda, M.B.,B.S. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Jeffrey Heinle, M.D. | Congenital Heart Surgery |
Edward Hickey, M.D. | Congenital Heart Surgery |
Taylor Howard, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Chih-Wei Logan Hsu, Ph.D., M.S. | Integrative Physiology; Large scale cardiovascular mouse |
Timothy Humlicek, Pharm.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Michiaki Imamura, M.D., Ph.D. | Congenital Heart Surgery |
Asra Khan, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Jeffrey Kim, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Katherine King, M.D. | Pediatrics - Infectious Disease; Hematopoietic stem cell biology |
Wilson Lam, M.D. | Pediatric Cardiology |
Irina Larina, Ph.D | Integrative Physiology; Biomechanics of early cardiogenesis, |
Christian Lilje, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Aimee Liou, B.S. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Chyongjy Liu D.O., M.B.A. | Pediatrics - Anesthesiology |
Keila Lopez, M.D., M.P.H. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
James Martin, M.D. | Integrative Physiology; Hippo, Wnt, Bmp signaling in |
Christina Miyake, MS, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology; Inherited cardiac arrhythmia syndromes |
Silvana Molossi, M.D., PH.D. | Pediatric Cardiology |
Shaine Morris, M.D., MHP | Pediatrics - Cardiology; Advanced imaging techniques for |
Emad Mossad B. M.B., B.CH., B.S. | Pediatrics - Anesthesiology; Neuromonitoring during |
Angeline Opina Gonzalez, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Jain Parag, M.B., B.S. | Pediatrics - Critical Care Medicine |
Daniel Penny, M.D., PH.D., M.H.A. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Tam Dan (Tina) Pham, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Ricardo Pignatelli, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology; Echocardiography, |
Jack Price,M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Athar Qureshi, M.B., B.S. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Ashraf Resheidat, M.D. | Pediatrics - Anesthesiology |
Alan Riley,M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Ross Poche, Ph.D., B.S. | Integrative Physiology; Cardiac development |
Elizabeth Rossmann Beel, M.D., M.P.H., B.A. | Pediatrics - Anesthesiology |
Craig Rusin, Ph.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology; Physiological signal |
Shagun Sachdeva, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Katherine Salciccioli, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Aura Sanchez Mejia, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Amy Sanyahumbi, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Tobias Schlingmann, M.D., Ph.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Daryl Scott, M.D., Ph.D. | Human & Molecular Genetics; Genetics of congenital |
Sara Sexson Tejtel, M.D., PH.D., M.P.H. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Shreya Sheth, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Joseph Spinner, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Gary Stapleton, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Sebastian Tume, M.D. | Pediatrics - Critical Care Medicine |
Venée Tubman, M.D. | Pediatrics - Hematology/Oncology; Sickle cell disease |
Hari Tunuguntla, M.D. | Pediatrics: Cardiology |
Santiago Valdes, M.D. | Pediatrics: Cardiology |
Jesus Vallejo, M.D. | Pediatrics Cardiology; TLR3/TLR4 in acute myocarditis, |
David Vener, M.D. | Pediatrics - Anesthesiology |
Giles Vick, M.D., Ph.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Lalita Wadhwa, Ph.D. | Congenital Heart Surgery |
Melissa Webb, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Justin Weigand, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
James Wilkinson, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Liang Xie, Ph.D. | Medicine; Cardiogenesis and cardiomyocyte renewal |
Betul Yilmaz, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
Justin Zachariah, M.D. | Pediatrics - Cardiology |
