Research

The Stanford Advanced Therapeutics for Heart Failure Research Laboratory focuses on developing and translating potential therapies for the treatment and prevention of heart failure via:

• Angiogenic tissue engineering
• Myocardial regeneration with specific growth factors and stem cells
• Circumventing ischemia through manipulation of endosymbiotic relationships

The Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Lab research program is focused on three aspects of surgery for congenital cardiac disease:

• Development of surgical and technological approaches for cardiac surgery in the fetus.
• Reduction of morbidity associated with pediatric cardiac surgery patients.
• Bioengineering of heart valves and vascular tissues for pediatric applications.

There are two active basic/translational research laboratories within the Division of Thoracic Surgery. These are:

• Thoracic Oncology Research Laboratory which has interests in the biology of non-small cell lung cancer and mesothelioma (an aggressive malignancy of the pleura, or chest lining)
• Respiratory Muscle Research Laboratory, which is directed by Dr. Joseph Shrager in collaboration with Dr. Huibin Tang, PhD,  this laboratory is focused upon the responses of the respiratory muscles, in particular the diaphragm, to various disease states and interventions

The Stanford Thoracic Aortic Research Laboratory focuses on advancing the understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of aortic aneurysm formation, with particular interest in patients with Marfan Syndrome. Investigative studies include:

• Genomic and transcriptomic analyses of pathogenesis of aortic aneurysms arising due to Marfan Syndrome
• Development of in vitro disease models of Marfan Syndrome using primary culture cells and inducible pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies
• Use of an in vivo murine model of Marfan Syndrome to study aortic aneurysm formation via biological assays including gene expression quantification, protein modification analyses, and immunohistochemistry.

The Cardiac Surgical Arrhythmia Research Laboratory is working to advance the understanding of the mechanisms of atrial fibrillation and to apply that understanding to develop potential therapies to treat atrial fibrillation and other forms of tachycardia.

The Stanford Cardiothoracic Therapeutics and Surgery Laboratory uses protein therapeutics, heart computer modeling and simulations, molecular biology, 3-D printed blood vessels, and cardiovascular biodevices to tackle a variety of challenges including examining the cellular and molecular mechanisms that transform stable coronary-artery disease to unstable coronary syndromes and clinical inventions to aid or cure patients.

The Stanford Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering Laboratory employs extracellular matrix proteins and biomaterials to:

• Elucidate the role of biochemical and biomechanical cues on stem cell differentiation and mechanobiology
• Engineer three-dimensional engineered cardiovascular tissues for preclinical testing
• Develop microscale devices for studying cell function in unprecedented ways

The Clinical and Translational Research Program (CTRP), which launched in fall 2014, is led by Doff McElhinney, MD, and promises to promote a collaborative framework to support research discoveries by the faculty, clinicians, and other members of the Betty Irene Moore Children's Heart Center. 

This novel program is designed to meet the evolving needs of the patient community and to act as the platform for the Heart Center to assume a leading national and international role in advancing the field.

The Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery is dedicated to the principles of vision, perseverance, and rigorous scientific investigation in its commitment to conducting well-conceived, cutting-edge research. The department generates dozens of peer-reviewed journal publications annually in its efforts to maintain its respected status among cardiothoracic research groups worldwide.

Stanford clinician scientists are engaged in a wide variety of clinical trials investigating new approaches to preventing and treating conditions and diseases. The variety of therapies being studied range from new pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices to behavioral and biotechnology therapies. These trials are done in close collaboration with scientists and physicians from many areas of expertise across Stanford University. To insure the highest ethical standards are maintained the Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for oversight of all studies.

Stanford Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) is the nucleus for cardiovascular research at Stanford University. Formed in 2004, the Institute is home to Stanford's myriad cardiovascular-related adult and pediatric research, clinical, and educational programs, centers and laboratories, as well as over 500 Stanford basic scientists, graduate students, clinician scientists and other researchers in heart and vessel disease and prevention.