Maryland Heart Center

Heart of Collaboration

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Research Vision

Cardiac surgeon Richard Pierson III, M.D., is clinical director of the heart and lung transplantation program.

Heart Center surgeons are exploring new frontiers, such as biosurgery or regenerative surgery, in the school of medicine's research laboratories. With seven NIH awards, the surgeons have robust portfolios of new research designed to translate to patient care.

In one study, heart patches that contain human fibroblast cells are sewn to the heart to stimulate heart muscle revascularization. Stem cell studies are also in the works. "I predict that within a year we'll have at least one protocol where we'll be putting patients' own bone marrow-derived stem cells into their hearts," says Dr. Griffith.

He adds that Maryland has a foremost investigator in another area of research, xenotransplantation, the transplantation of animal cells, tissues or whole organs to people. In describing the work of Richard N. Pierson III, M.D., clinical director, heart and lung transplantation and professor of surgery, Dr. Griffith says, "If they're able to unlock the challenge of pig hearts and lungs into humans, we'll be there, because there's no more accomplished leader in heart xenotransplantation than Dr. Pierson. When the time comes for renewed clinical evaluation of this challenging work, our center will be at the forefront."

In cardiology, Dr. Mehra has brought about shifts in staffing, research and programming to further personalize cardiac care. "We've become a lot more patient-friendly," he says. "Our inherent focus is on improving outcomes for patients using the least invasive techniques. Improving the patient experience is one of the key areas that has evolved since I've been here."

The catheterization laboratory is an example of this. For the best outcome, the goal is to have most patients with a certain type of heart attack in the lab within 90 minutes. An American College of Cardiology database ranks the University of Maryland Medical Center in the 97th percentile of hospitals nationwide that met the goal.

Another example is the Preventive Cardiology Program, where cardiologists strive to intervene early to reduce risk factors. Researchers in the program have produced significant studies on lipids and dietary interventions.

The new emphasis on personalized cardiology includes a unique program: behavioral cardiology, which embraces a holistic view of the patient with heart disease. Willem J. Kop, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine whose background is in psychology, says this new program will attempt to account for all the factors not strictly related to the biomedical model that may drive heart disease.

Behavioral cardiology involves the study and application of health behaviors and psychosocial factors in the assessment and reduction of cardiovascular risk. Health behaviors are exercise, smoking, eating habits, alcohol consumption. Psychosocial factors, such as stress, anger and depression, are relatively new areas of research. "We know a lot about cholesterol and blood pressure and we have started to increase our knowledge of genetic factors. But most of these risk factors reflect an interplay between genetics and environmental factors such as diet, stress and exercise," says Dr. Kop.

One of his studies looks at depression. Another study examines the role of acute stress in heart disease, focusing on inflammatory markers of heart disease, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin 6, and the activity of blood particles. Dr. Kop plans to incorporate behavioral cardiology into the teaching curriculum because it could become an important tool for the next generation of physicians.

Dr. Mehra says Heart Center cardiologists and surgeons practice a form of medicine that mirrors the vision of the future as articulated by the National Institutes of Health. It is cardiac care that is predictive, personalized, preemptive and participatory. "You cannot be in your physician silo," he says. "You have to participate with the patient. You have to participate with the community."

Please call if you would like to make an appointment or talk to someone about our services. Patients dial 1-800-492-5538 or 410-328-5842, physicians dial 410-328-6622 or 1-800-318-1019.