Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2012

Mentor: Brian Bethea, MD             
Department: Cardiothoracic Surgery      
Room number: HA9.134
Mail Code: 8879
Phone number: 214-645-7700
E-mail: brian.bethea@utsouthwestern.edu (and/or leah.gaither@utsouthwestern.edu)
Project title: Pulmonary Vasculature Changes and the Role in Right Ventricular Dysfunction (RVD) in Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Recipients        

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): NA

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):  NA

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects): Patient based

Brief Description of Project: Study heart and lung tissue obtained at LVAD implantation (pre-LVAD) as well as at cardiac explantation (post-LVAD) for analysis and comparison. This will allow us to study and characterize the longitudinal changes in the pulmonary vasculature and their clinical influence on right ventricular function in patients with severe congestive heart failure who undergo left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy as a bridge to heart transplantation. It is our hope that the insights derived from these studies will have significant clinical relevance to patients supported by mechanical assist devices or in those with end stage heart failure.  eIRB #092010-093

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students: none