Pediatric Transplant Center

Dr. Blume's specialties include cardiomyopathy, pediatric heart failure and heart transplantation. Her research is focused on the treatment of end-stage heart disease and heart transplantation in pediatric patients. Dr. Blume's current projects include mechanical support devices to improve bridging children to heart transplant and sequelae and quality of life in pediatric heart-transplant recipients. She holds her academic appointment as Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, participates in national multi-centre research studies and is serving currently as the Vice President of the Pediatric Heart Transplant Study Group.

Dr. Mayer serves as the Senior Associate in Cardiac Surgery and as Surgical Director for the Heart Transplant Program. Dr. Mayer's major research interests include the short and long-term outcome of the Fontan Operation and Tissue Engineering of Cardivascular Structures, and Heart Transplantation. He holds an Academic Appointment as Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Mayer also serves as President of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Dr. Fynn-Thompson serves as an Assistant in Cardiac Surgery and is a surgeon for the Heart and Lung Transplant Programs. Dr. Fynn-Thompson's research activities are focused on clinical and translational projects, primarily with regard to minimally invasive techniques and arrhythmia surgery. He holds an Academic Appointment as Instructor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Smoot's specialties include cardiomyopathy, cardiovascular genetics and heart transplantation. Her research focuses on the genetics of Congenital Cardiovascular Disease and holds her Academic Appointment as Instructor at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Singh joined the Cardiovascular and Heart Transplant Program in 2005. He was previously Medical Director of the Heart Transplant Program at Children's Hospital of Michigan from 1998-2005. His research interests include cardiovascular physiology (vascular physiology, myocardial metabolism, exercise physiology, cardiac innervation) in children with congenital and acquired heart disease and risk factors in pediatric heart transplantation. Dr. Singh holds an Academic Appointment as Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Almond joined the Cardiovascular and Heart Transplant Program in 2006 after completing his internship, residency and fellowship in Pediatric Heart Transplantation at Children's Hospital Boston. His primary research interests include pediatric mechanical support devices and has been involved in collaborative studies such as the effects of hyponatremia among runners in the Boston Marathon. Dr. Almond is currently serving as a co-principal investigator for the Berlin Heart Trial here in the United States. He holds an Academic Appointment as Instructor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

Heather graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Nursing in 1993. She initially worked as a registered nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit at New York Hospital in New York City. She went on to complete a Master's degree in Nursing from the University of Pennsylvania in 1996. Heather joined the Heart Transplant Program at Children's Hospital, Boston in 1997 as a pediatric nurse practitioner.

Shay graduated from Providence College with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biology in 1994. She has been a registered nurse since 1997 and has worked at Children's Hospital since 1998. Shay went on to complete her Master's degree in Nursing from the MGH Institute of Health Professions in 1998. Shay has spent the majority of her years at Children's working in both the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and the Cardiology Clinic before joining the Heart Transplant team as a pediatric nurse practitioner in 2006.

Jodi received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Boston College in 1997 and started her career at Children's Hospital Boston that same year. She first worked as a staff nurse on a general medical unit and then spent five years as a clinical research nurse in the Cardiology Department. Jodi joined the Heart Transplant Program as a Heart Transplant Coordinator in March 2005.