Cardiac Center Research
The physicians and scientists at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Cardiac Center are internationally recognized leaders in basic and clinical research in pediatric heart disease. Our team works to bring important discoveries rapidly from bench to bedside to benefit children everywhere.
We are one of seven hospitals funded by The Pediatric Heart Network (PHN). PHN is a group of Hospitals chosen for their experienced research teams and formed by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to study problems in children with heart disease. We are also a leading recipient of funding from the National Institutes of Health as well as other individuals and organizations.
Below is a snapshot of some of the Cardiac Center studies currently underway:
The underlying causes of heart defects
Elizabeth Goldmuntz, MD, is part of a group of researchers studying underlying causes of heart defects. In one of the largest studies of its kind, her team has collected data on more than 1,300 patients with conotruncal heart defects and 800 patients with leftsided heart defects, which begin in the earliest stages of fetal heart development. Read more about this study»
Neurodevelopmental problems in children with complex congenital heart defects
Led by J. William Gaynor, MD, Gil Wernovsky, MD, and Robert R. Clancy, MD, the Neurocardiac Research Group brings together researchers from cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiac anesthesia, intensive care, cardiac nursing, neurology, genetics, biostatistics and developmental pediatrics, to examine why children with complex congenital heart defects experience neurodevelopmental problems, what are the best therapies for current survivors of heart surgery, and what can be done for prevention in the future. Read more about this study»
The psychological impact of prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease
Director of the Fetal Heart Program Jack Rychik, MD, and Program Coordinator Denise Donaghue, RN, are working with Children's Hospital psychologists on a study that will evaluate psychological and emotional needs of families in the Fetal Heart Program. Rychik and his colleagues believe that understanding the psychological impact of prenatal diagnoses on family members will result in the ability to better counsel and support them. The findings of this study will help Fetal Heart Program staff to treat both patients and family members in a more comprehensive manner when a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease is made, resulting in the best outcomes possible. Read more about this study»
Treating Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
David Goldberg, MD, along with several other Cardiac Center physician-scientists in a group led by Jack Rychik, MD, is completing a ground-breaking study on the use of a medication called Sildenafil as a complement to a three-stage surgical intervention to treat complex congenital heart disease, such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS ). The Cardiac Center staff expects that treatment with Sildenafil will improve the exercise ability and overall quality of life in patients with HLHS and other forms of single-ventricle heart disease. Read more about this study»
Understanding the cause of ischemia in Anomalous Aortic Origin of a Coronary Artery (AAOCA)
Julie Brothers, MD, is conducting a study using positron emission tomography (PET) to measure the blood flow to different regions of the heart with the goal of better understanding the cause of ischemia in AAOCA and therefore the risk factors that cause some children with AAOCA to suffer ischemia while others remain healthy. With better knowledge of which children are at more risk, treatment could be better tailored to each individual child's needs. Read more about this study»
Heart valve disease
Robert J. Levy, MD, focuses his research on many aspects of heart valve disease, from the use of nanotechnology to searching for drugs that could ameliorate the disease, currently treatable only through surgery. Levy received considerable attention when his team announced it had created stents coated with adenoviruses to deliver gene therapy that improved the stents' ability to keep blood vessels open. His ongoing research promises similarly important advances. Read more about this study»
To learn more about cardiac research at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia or to learn if your child is eligible to participate in a clinical trial, contact David Jobes, MD, chair, Cardiac Center Research Committee.
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