The American Society for Clinical Investigation recently announced the 2025 Awardees for the Young Physician-Scientist Award along with the Emerging Scientist Awards. Anubha Agarwal, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Co-Director, Program in Global Cardiovascular Health, WashU Medicine Cardiovascular Division was among the DOM awardees.
Author: Elizabeth
Lanza named fellow of National Academy of Inventors (Links to an external site)
Gregory Lanza MD, PhD, the James R. Hornsby Family Professor in Biomedical Sciences in the John T. Milliken Department of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). He is an accomplished innovator who has patented numerous nanoparticle-based methods applied in imaging, diagnostics and drug delivery.
Leadership Announcement- General Cardiology
Dr. Alan Braverman, Professor of Medicine and Alumni Endowed Professor in Cardiovascular Diseases, has been appointed the inaugural Head of the new Section of General Cardiology in the Division.
Global Cardiovascular Disease Seed Funding (Links to an external site)
The application period for this funding will open on March 1, 2025 and close on March 31, 2025 (5 p.m. CDT). This seed funding opportunity will support pilot studies in the broad research topics of global CVD and/or CVD-related diseases with the goal to address the large and growing burden of disease in both USA…
Global Studies Examine Hypertension Management and Barriers to Care
At WashU’s Global Health Center in the Institute for Public Health, teams of cardiologists, implementation scientists, and other experts are spearheading efforts to address one of the world’s most common and treatable risk factors for cardiovascular disease: hypertension. These efforts span multiple NIH/NHLBI-funded studies underway in Peru, Nigeria, India, and the United States.
Nurse Practitioner Mae Weddle Joins Division
Mae Weddle, MSN, AGACNP-BC joined the Cardiovascular Division as our newest Nurse Practitioner this month. Mae comes to us with 5 years of advanced practice experience and a master’s from St. Louis University.
Maddox Attends First FDA Digital Health Advisory Committee Meeting
Thomas Maddox, MD, MSc, vice president of Digital Products and Innovation for BJC HealthCare and a professor in the Cardiovascular Division, has been appointed to the inaugural FDA Digital Health Advisory Committee. The committee will advise the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration on digital health technologies (DHT’s) and guide on policies and regulations for their use. The first meeting was held in late November 2024 and focused on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and its use in healthcare.
Sweitzer Named Director of CTSA TWD and CRTC (Links to an external site)
Nancy Sweitzer, MD, PhD, Named as Director of Clinical and Translational Science Award Translational Workforce Development (CTSA TWD) and Clinical Research Training Center (CRTC) at WashU Medicine
Joynt Maddox on Cardiovascular Deaths in Rural Areas
Dr. Karen Joynt Maddox was recently quoted in an article published in the Health News section of United Press International reporting on a surge in cardiovascular deaths in younger adults living in rural areas.
Where to See Us: WashU Cardiovascular Division at AHA 24
Your guide to catching our Washington University Cardiovascular faculty and fellows at the AHA Scientific Sessions in Chicago!
Polypill proposed to change the heart failure treatment paradigm (Links to an external site)
Justin Chen, MD, First Year Cardiology Fellow, First Author along with Anubha Agarwal, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Co-Director, Program in Global Cardiovascular Health, WashU Medicine Cardiovascular Division, Senior Author, have published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Leadership Announcement – Interventional Cardiology (Links to an external site)
I am pleased to announce that Dr. Marc Sintek, Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Interventional Cardiology Fellowship, has been appointed as the next Director of the BJH Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. Dr. Sintek has served as Associate Director of the Cath Lab since 2023 and will take the reins from Dr. Jas Singh
Agarwal, Huffman, and Hively Publish in JACC: Advances on Polypill Trials
In a new paper published in JACC: Advances, Drs. Anubha Agarwal, Mark Huffman, and Global Health Clinical Research Coordinator Adam Hively, MPH examine the history of polypill trials. The paper, titled “More Than a Decade of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Polypill Trials: Lessons for Heart Failure Polypills” marks the first publication for Hively, as the Global Health team within the WashU cardiovascular division continues research into this lifesaving therapy.
Maddox Quoted in Wearable Tech Article for Health (Links to an external site)
Wearables like Apple Watches, Fitbits, Oura Rings, WHOOP, Garmin, and other fitness trackers generally work by continuously monitoring your body’s signals and using machine learning algorithms to identify changes from your normal levels.
Most of these devices rely on photoplethysmography (PPG), a non-invasive optical technique that measures blood flow by using light and sensors to detect changes in blood volume at the skin’s surface, Thomas Maddox, MD, a professor of medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the executive director of the Healthcare Innovation Lab at BJC HealthCare, told Health.
Immunotherapy blocks scarring, improves heart function in mice with heart failure (Links to an external site)
A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that a type of immunotherapy — similar to that approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis — also may be an effective treatment strategy for heart failure.
The study is published Oct. 23 in the journal Nature.
Dr. Nathan Frogge joins the Department of Medicine (Links to an external site)
Dr. Nathan Frogge has joined the Department of Medicine in the Cardiovascular Division as an Assistant Professor in October 2024. He serves as faculty in the Interventional and Structural Cardiology Section and our West County Clinic, and as Director of Clinical Outreach and Expansion.
Schilling Publishes “Cutting Edge” Research Article in Journal of Immunology
Dr. Joel Schilling of the WashU Cardiovascular Division was one of the authors of the cover story of the August edition of the Journal of Immunology, an article titled “Cutting Edge: Hepatic Stellate Cells Drive the Phenotype of Monocyte-derived Macrophages to Regulate Liver Fibrosis in Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatohepatitis “.
Hornsbys fund research in cardiac imaging and cancer nanomedicine (Links to an external site)
James “Russ” Hornsby and Sherry Hornsby’s business is play. Gregory Lanza, MD, PhD, is a cardiologist who conducts groundbreaking research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Together, this unusual trio is forging new pathways to healthier lives for people around the globe.
Maddox and ACC Advancing Heart Health in Rural Communities (Links to an external site)
The ACC, in partnership with the JF Maddox Foundation, kicked off the Rural Cardiovascular Health Initiative (RCHI) earlier this year. The 12-month pilot project taking place in Hobbs, NM, aims to create and test an action module that can be used more broadly to improve cardiovascular health in rural communities nationwide.
Cardiology talked with Thomas M. Maddox, MD, MSc, FACC, whose family’s foundation is supporting the program, about the impetus behind the program, key deliverables, and his path to both leadership and philanthropic giving with the College.
Huffman Promotes Heart Health on Show Me St. Louis
Professor of Medicine and Co-Director Global Health Center Dr. Mark Huffman appeared on KSDK’s Show Me St. Louis to recognize World Heart Day. Dr. Huffman noted that 1 in 3 people worldwide die of cardiovascular disease, and shared tips from the American Heart Association for heart health. He emphasized the dangers of ultra-processed foods, which account for half of the calories Americans consume.
St. Louis VA performs WATCHMAN heart implant procedure (Links to an external site)
“The most common preventive strategy for AF-related stroke is blood thinners, but for patients with a high risk of bleeding we must provide other treatment options,” said Dr. Abhinav Diwan, chief of cardiology. “Innovation has been key in our field and we’re leading the way here at St. Louis VA. WATCHMAN allows us to lower the risk of stroke in a broad range of patients who cannot tolerate blood thinners.”
Strategy evaluated for boosting exercise capacity in heart failure patients (Links to an external site)
A component of beet juice — inorganic nitrate — improves muscle power and exercise capacity in athletes and in patients with heart failure, according to earlier research by a team at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis led by Dr. Linda Peterson
Peterson Leads SHVM Annual Meeting in St. Louis
The 21st annual meeting of the Society for Heart and Vascular Metabolism was held in St. Louis September 8th through 11th, with Professor of Medicine in the Cardiovascular Division Dr. Linda Peterson serving as SHVM President. This is the first time that the meeting has been held in St. Louis, and events were held in Clayton at the Le Méridien hotel as well as on the Wash U Medicine campus, with dinners at the St. Louis Art Museum and Grant’s Farm.
Jimenez Receives Harold Amos Faculty Development Award
Assistant Professor of Medicine Jesus Jimenez, MD, PhD has been announced as a recipient of the 2024 Harold Amos Faculty Development Award. Dr. Jimenez also recently received K08 funding for his project “CD40 Immunotherapy Effect on the Cardiac Immune Landscape and Response to Myocardial Disease”.
Verma Appointed Chair of Women in Heart Failure Committee for HFSA
Dr. Amanda Verma, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Director of Cardio-Obstetrics in the Cardiovascular Division, has been appointed as the Chair of the Women in Heart Failure Committee for the Heart Failure Society of America.
Sweitzer among 2024 inductees to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society (Links to an external site)
The Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society chapter at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has announced 25 inductees for its Class of 2024. The AOA is a national organization with a mission to recognize and support leadership, high educational achievement and effective teaching as well as service to others. The Washington University chapter has more than 450 physicians.
Husaini, Bach, and Cresci Publish Clinical Case in JACC
Drs. Mustafa Husaini, Richard Bach, and Sharon Cresci of the Cardiovascular Division published a case report in the August 2024 edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Cardiology, titled “Exercise Testing to Unmask Latent LVOT Obstruction in a Highly Symptomatic Patient With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy”.
Maddox appointed to inaugural FDA Digital Health Advisory Committee (Links to an external site)
Thomas M. Maddox MD, SM, Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology at Washington University School of Medicine and head of the BJC/WUSM Healthcare Innovation Lab, has been appointed to the inaugural FDA Digital Health Advisory Committee.
Fellow LoCoco Authors Paper in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology
Second-Year Cardiovascular Fellow Dr. Sarah LoCoco is the first author on a new paper in the journal Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, entitled “Direct Comparison of Methods to Differentiate Wide Complex Tachycardias: Novel Automated Algorithms Versus Manual ECG Interpretation Approaches”.
Jimenez Receives Outstanding Early Career Investigator Award
Assistant Professor of Medicine Jesus Jimenez, MD, PhD was awarded the Outstanding Early Career Investigator Award at this year’s American Heart Association Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Conference in Chicago, IL.
Cardiovascular Faculty Named to 2024 Top Doctors® List
31 Washington University Cardiovascular Division Faculty were named to the Castle Connolly 2024 Top Doctors® List.
The Top Doctors® selection process is entirely merit-based. Doctors cannot pay to be listed. These doctors are best-in-class healthcare providers, embodying excellence in clinical care as well as interpersonal skills. More information can be found at the Top Doctors® website. This list is also published every August by St. Louis Magazine.
Javaheri Featured in 50th Anniversary edition of Cell
Assistant Professor of Medicine Dr. Ali Javaheri was featured in an article titled “Translating metabolic and cardiovascular research into effective treatments: What’s next?” In a special 50th Anniversary edition of the journal Cell.
Javaheri was among 10 scientists asked to comment on the future of cardiac metabolism research. His thoughts appear under the heading “Food as medicine and for thought”.
Dr. Steven Lavine Retires
Dr. Steven Lavine, Professor of Medicine in the Cardiovascular Division, will retire in August. Dr. Lavine has been with Washington University since 2016. He is also the father of Dr. Kory Lavine, Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Research.
Maddox: Remote monitoring, AI to play key roles in the future of cardiology (Links to an external site)
Thomas M. Maddox, MD, SM, professor of medicine and vice president of digital products and innovation at BJC HealthCare, Washington University School of Medicine, gave a presentation on new technology advances at ACC.24, the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology (ACC). He then spoke with Cardiovascular Business, providing insights into cardiology’s future.
Summer 2024 WashU Alumni Newsletter (pdf) (Links to an external site)
Welcome New Fellows!
In July the Cardiovascular Division welcomed our newest class of fellows! We are looking forward to working with these talented physicians.
Hammond Awarded Harold Amos Faculty Development Award
Gmerice Hammond, MD MPH, Instructor in Medicine, received a Harold Amos Faculty Development Award for her project entitled “The Impact of the ACO REACH Program on Racial Inequities in Heart Failure.” The study examines whether a new Medicare payment program helps reduce gaps in care and outcomes for Black patients with heart failure. The Harold […]
Dr. Pan Ma joins the Department of Medicine (Links to an external site)
Dr. Pan Ma joined the Department of Medicine in the Cardiovascular Division as an instructor in May 2024. As a researcher, she has made significant contributions to the understanding of myocarditis disease. Her work has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals and presented at prestigious conferences, earning them recognition as a competitive early career investigator.
Zainab Mahmoud, MD, MSc funds her K23 (Links to an external site)
Congratulations to PROUD-MED Scholar Zainab Mahmoud, MD, MSc (Internal Medicine, Cardiology) on the funding of her K23 “Improving Maternal Cardiovascular Outcomes Through the Implementation of a Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Bundle in Nigeria”, 1K23HL173684-01.
Cardiovascular Faculty Complete Leadership Course
Recently, four members of the Cardiovascular Division faculty completed a 16-week pilot leadership course on the Fundamentals of Performance Improvement and Change Management presented by the Department of Medicine. Sixteen faculty members participated across the school of medicine: representing the Cardiovascular Division were Division Chief Dr. Sumanth Prabhu, and Drs. Mustafa Husaini, Justin Sadhu, and Sudhir Jain.
Cresci Vice-Chair of AHA Statement in Circulation
Associate Professor of Medicine and Associate Director of the Wash U Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Center, Dr. Sharon Cresci is Vice-Chair on a new statement published this week in the journal Circulation on behalf of the American Heart Association.
Kurz Retires After 30 Years In Cardiovascular Division
Dr. Howard Kurz, Professor of Medicine in the Cardiovascular Division, will retire at the end of June. Dr. Kurz has served as Director of the Interventional Cardiology Training Program as well as Director of the Cardiac Procedure Center Catheterization Laboratory. He has been an essential part of the interventional cardiology team, and his mentorship and leadership will be greatly missed.
Joynt Maddox: Population shifts, risk factors may triple U.S. cardiovascular disease costs by 2050 (Links to an external site)
More than 184 million people, exceeding 61% of the U.S. population, are likely to have some type of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and total CVD-related costs are expected to triple to $1.8 trillion by 2050, according to projections reported in two new American Heart Association presidential advisories
Maddox on Artificial Intelligence Emerging as a Part of Medical Practice (Links to an external site)
With the advent of the AI-based writing tool ChatGPT, attention has focused on assisting physicians with one of their most burdensome tasks, clinical documentation. Each of the four area health systems is developing an AI scribe function.
BJC HealthCare and its academic partner, Washington University School of Medicine, are conducting pilots of several AI products to help generate clinical notes. Thomas Maddox, MD, SM, who leads the Healthcare Innovation Lab at BJC and Washington University, described the effort:
“We installed a product in the exam room that records the clinical encounter. At the conclusion of the visit, it feeds the audio transcription into a large language model like ChatGPT. Then that model transforms the recording into a clinical note following the format that physicians often use. The physician then reviews and edits the draft instead of starting with a blank page.”
Cardiology Fellows Graduate
We congratulate the following fellows for completing their training with the Cardiovascular Division and are heading to the next phase of their careers: Christopher Evenson, MDParkview HospitalFort Wayne, IN Adam Lick, MDCrescent City PhysiciansTouro InfirmaryNew Orleans, LA Stephen Philip, MDUniversity Of WisconsinMadison, WI Cliff Pruett, MDHeart Failure FellowshipUT SouthwesternDallas, TX Vince Siebert, MDRooney Heart InstituteNaples […]
Q&A: Cardiologist Karen Joynt Maddox on why new healthcare policies are not improving outcomes (Links to an external site)
Cardiologist Karen E. Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH, specializes in evaluating how different healthcare regulations and policies can influence short- and long-term cardiovascular outcomes. In addition to seeing patients at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, she is a professor at Washington University in St. Louis, where she serves as co-director of the school’s Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research.
McNeely Joins Cardiovascular Division
Christian McNeely, MD has joined the Division as an Assistant Professor of Medicine, serving as a faculty member in the Interventional Cardiology Section and as Lead Physician in the West County Cardiology Clinic
World Heart Rhythm Week (Links to an external site)
World Heart Rhythm Week, observed annually from June 3rd to June 9th, is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness about heart rhythm disorders and promoting cardiovascular health. This week-long event serves as an opportunity for healthcare professionals, advocacy groups, and individuals to come together to educate the public about the importance of maintaining a healthy heart rhythm and recognizing the signs and symptoms of heart rhythm disorders.
Verma Featured in KSDK Profile of Heart Attack Patient
Assistant Professor of Medicine and Director of Cardio-Obstetrics, Dr. Amanda Verma, was featured in a KSDK Sports Plus profile of a patient on the road to recovery after a heart attack. The patient, Dan Rolfe, is a 52 year old high school basketball coach. Dr. Verma explained to KSDK, “this is the left anterior descending […]
World Hypertension Day (Links to an external site)
May 17, 2024: “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer” The important World Hypertension Day was first held on 14 May 2005, and has since become an ever-expanding yearly event.