Childen's Hospital Boston
International Visitorsdotted lineRequest Appointmentdotted lineDirections
 advanced search
About Us Find a Specialist Locations Careers Press Room Giving To
Clinical Services For Patients & Families For Health Professionals Research
My Child Has
or find by letter:  A-F  G-L  M-R  S-Z

Cardiovascular Program

 Cardiovascular Program
  Cardiovascular Departments
 Research
  Fellowships
  Meet Our Fellows
  Speakers Bureau
  Second Opinions
  Consultation Service
  2007 Awards and Honors
  CME Course on Marfan and Related Genetic Syndromes
  Cardiac Surgery Program: Congenital Heart Surgery Observership Course
 Email this page
 Printer Friendly
 X
Flower Ongoing Research
Back to Research
Cardiology Research
All senior medical staff members of the Department of Cardiology participate in clinical research activities, and many do laboratory research as well. Current projects include:
  • the use of inhaled nitric oxide to reduce pulmonary hypertension
  • the further development of innovative catheterization treatments for the treatment of complex cardiac diseases
  • the use of transcatheter radio-frequency ablation to treat both simple and complex arrhythmias
  • a multi-disciplinary clinical trial studying brain function following the effects of body cooling and blood thinning (hemodilution) during open heart surgery
  • a six-center study of HIV's effect on the hearts of infants and children
  • a study of the effects of a drug (Adriamycin) on heart function is survivors of childhood cancer
  • a study of pH management strategy in infant heart surgery
  • a cross-sectional study on long-term outcome after the Fontan procedure
  • population-based studies of clinical outcomes and resource utilization for congenital heart defects
  • improved approaches to protecting the heart and brain in infants and children during surgical procedures
  • the design and creation of heart valves using a patient's own tissue
  • the design and evaluation of new therapeutic catheters and techniques
  • the design and evaluation of three-dimensional electrophysiological mapping techniques
  • control of the body's inflammatory response to cardiopulmonary bypass and surgery
  • evaluation of the biophysics of radio-frequency ablation to treat arrhythmia
  • featured researchers in the Department of Cardiology hold faculty appointments at Harvard Medical School

Cardiac Surgery Research
The Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory houses a multidisciplinary team of investigators involved in basic and applied research who study mechanisms of heart disease and new treatments for children with congenital heart defects.

The principal areas of active research are:

  • Surgical robotics and ultrasound guided intracardiac surgery. The department is pioneering the use of 3-D ultrasound and laparoscopic techniques to operate on the beating heart.

  • Myocardial metabolism and myocardial hypertrophy and heart failure. Researchers are exploring new methods of myocardial preservation during heart surgery and the role of angiogenic growth factors in heart failure.

  • Tissue engineering to stimulate the growth of new tissue to repair congenital defects, including valve abnormalities, right ventricular defects, and arrhythmias.

The division also is developing a fetal cardiac surgery laboratory that will be conducting several clinical research projects including those to:
  • evaluate techniques to remodel the right ventricle after repair of tetralogy of Fallot
  • determine optimal hematocrit levels to prevent neurologic injury during cardiopulmonary bypass

Featured researchers in the Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory hold faculty appointments at Harvard Medical School.
 X
Contact Us Site Map Privacy Accessibility Give Now en Español