Clinical Biomarker and Phenotype Core Laboratory (BPCL)
Our Mission
1) Provide quantitative assessment of clinical cardiovascular phenotypes useful for translational research and clinical trials. These cardiovascular phenotypes include evaluation of cardiac structure and function, evaluation of carotid intimal thickness, measures of arterial stiffness, evaluation of endothelial function, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing.
2) Provide assessment of cardiovascular and immune biomarkers. This mission is made possible through a close collaboration between the Human Immune Monitoring Center at Stanford and several investigators from the Cardiovascular Institute. To make this possible, we also offer central blood processing and banking capabilities.
3) Foster the development of novel biomarker platform and new imaging modalities.
Our Services
We can provide a comprehensive assessment of cardiovascular structure and function, exercise physiology, and endothelial function within 2 hours. The services we offer include the following:
Echocardiography
We provide reproducible, qualitative, and quantitative analysis of echocardiography data that closely follows the guidelines of the American Society of Echocardiography. Our service includes assessment of ventricular mass and volume, ejection fractions, cardiac strain, diastology, and atrial function.
Vascular Assessment
We provide reproducible quantitative analysis of carotid and femoral intima thickness, pulse wave velocity, and renal resistive indices. We also have a special interest in developing novel measures of ventriculo-arterial coupling.
Endothelial Function Testing
We provide reproducible measures for brachial reactivity as well as peripheral arterial tonometry.
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
Under the leadership of Euan Ashley, Jonathan Myers, and Victor Froelicher, we offer a comprehensive assessment of exercise physiology. The service includes the analysis of cardiopulmonary exercise testing data as well as development of novel rehabilitation protocols.
Electrocardiography and Heart Rate and QT Variability
We provide services for quantitative assessment of electrocardiography as well as heart rate and QT variability.
Other important phenotypes such as calcium scores, CT angiography, MRI and SPECT and PET imaging can be provided through the Radiology Department or the Cardiovascular Non-invasive Imaging Group.
Core Biomarker Laboratory Services
We also offer services for central blood processing and banking of blood.
Some Key Initiatives
1) Stanford Athletic Screening Program. The BPCL is the core laboratory responsible for the echocardiographic studies of the Stanford Athletic Screening Program and has imaged more than 500 participants.
2) Stanford Immune Aging Longitudinal Study. The BPCL is the core laboratory providing clinical cardiovascular phenotypes for collaboration through the NIH funded projects of the Immune Institute.
3) The Pulmonary Hypertension Wall Center Outcome and Physiology Studies. The BPCL works closely with the Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease to provide quantitative echocardiographic assessment of the right heart.
4) Clinical Stem Cell Trials. The BPCL is serving as the core laboratory for the clinical stem cell trials led by Bojan Vrtovec, MD, PhD, and colleagues. The stem cell trials focus on ischemic and non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.
5) The CCML-Stanford Collaborative Effort. Through a close collaboration with the University of Paris and the Marie-Lannelongue surgical center (CCML), the BPCL is providing quantitative analysis of experimental and clinical studies focused on right heart physiology. The CCML is a recognized worldwide center of expertise in pulmonary hypertension (Elie Fadel, MD, PhD, and Olaf Mercier, MD, PhD).
Stanford football - 1929
CVI’s Biomarker Core Detects Clues to Cardiovascular Disease
The Biomarker and Phenotype Core Laboratory (BPCL) focuses on developing cardiovascular and immune-response biomarkers of numerous cardiovascular conditions. These biomarkers can then be used to advance research in treating cardiovascular disease.
Contact Us
If interested in our services, please contact Francois Haddad, MD. Dr. Haddad coordinates the efforts of the Stanford Biomarker and Clinical Phenotype Core Laboratory and focuses his research on ultrasound-based imaging and exercise physiology.
