Feature Stories:

5 University of Minnesota Resuscitation Center Integral to HeartRescue Project

12 Meet Drs. Hirsch, Moller and Valeti

16 Rising Young Investigator: Peter Eckman, M.D.

Also Inside:2 Cardiovascular Clinical Update U of M Cardiovascular Division Report4 Best Transplant Survival Rate in the U.S.

Inaugural Robert J. Bache, MD Lectureship6 Lillehei Heart Institute Summer Research

Scholars Program Enters its Third Year 2010 LHI Summer Scholar Named Finalist in

Siemen’s Competition 7 Dr. Francis: AHA Heart, Stroke Hero 2010 LHI Symposium8 Dr. Cohn: AHA Distinguished Scientist

Dick Bianco Elected Chairman of IMD Society 9 Inaugural Fundraising Event Red Hot Success10 Construction of New Heart Research Facility11 Milestone: 500th LVAD Implantation13 Lillehei Heart Institute’s Expertise Reaches

Around the Globe15 New Employees

2010 Stethoscope Ceremony Welcomes 8 New Fellows

17 2011 Cardiovascular Retreat in June18 Research Funding for U of M Cardiovascular

Program Continues to Rise19 Researchers Discover Key to Switching Cell Types 20 Upcoming Events

The Cardiovascular Newsletter of the University of Minnesota

Summer 2011 _

heart of the

The Culture of WinningIn competition, one team will always emerge the vic-tor simply because the rules require there to be one. Typically, the odds favor the organization that has es-tablished a culture of winning. Winners know how to rally and turn challenges into successes—deficits into leads, strikeouts or errors into home runs, fumbles into touchdowns. This culture of winning or of suc-cess requires a clear vision for the organization that, in turn, supports a platform of values or characteris-tics. The values associated with a culture of success include an emphasis on innovation and discovery, decisive action, building, over-delivery, transparency, a leveraging of resources, and viewing challenges as opportunities for growth and discovery. This culture of winning and success is emblematic of the Lillehei Heart Institute at the University of Minnesota. To-day, we are assembling an outstanding team of sci-entists and physician scientists and investing in our infrastructure to further fuel our culture of success. Throughout this newsletter you will read about the numerous accomplishments and discoveries of our Lillehei Heart Institute cardiovascular team. To fur-ther support and facilitate the discoveries of our out-

standing cardiovascular team, we’ve made an unprecedented commitment through strategic investments in the infrastructure of our cardiovascular enterprise. We have invested in our core research services to establish state of the art imaging technolo-gies, additional flow cytometry facilities, a comprehensive histological and in situ hy-bridization facility, a small animal cardiovascular surgical facility, and a large animal angiographic facility with biomedical engineering support to facilitate device develop-ment and translational discoveries. These core services will be complemented by the construction of our new Lillehei Heart Institute Research Facility, which broke ground on May 11th of this year. This new 60,000 sq ft research facility will further fuel our growth through strategic recruitments. In addition to these new facilities, we have begun to construct a comprehensive clinical research cardiovascular database that will incorporate a newly established biorepository and molecular data that will serve as an unprecedented resource for discoveries, statewide initiatives and quality of care assessments. This cardiovascular research clinical database will communicate with our university-wide Clinical and Translational Science Institute, which recently received a $51M CTSA (Clinical and Translational Science Award). Collectively, our team and our strategic investments are allowing the impossible to become possible. At the Lillehei Heart Institute, we have established a culture where Winners Win.

message from the director

Daniel J. Garry, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of MedicineSt. Jude Medical Endowed Chair in CardiologyDirector, Lillehei Heart InstituteChief, Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine

Sixty years ago, the University of Minnesota built some of the world’s best facilities for cardiovascular innovation. The first dedicated heart hospital, biomedical engineering capabilities, specialized operating rooms, some of the first heart catheterization laboratories, and facilities for testing new medical devices led to a revolution in cardiovascular medicine. The end result was a substantial reduction in the epidemic of heart deaths that followed World War II.

We are now renewing our commitment to that vision through the Lillehei Heart Institute and the Cardiovascular Service Line. Using substantial financial contributions from the University cardiovascular faculty and philanthropy, we are creating state-of-the-art test facilities by building a hybrid cardiac catheterization/cardiac surgery laboratory. This multi-disciplinary facility will allow our cardiologists, surgeons, and radiologists to develop and test the next gen-eration of cardiovascular therapies. These new treatments will be less invasive, and many will use new materials and cell therapies that the post World War II generation of Uni-versity pioneers could only dream about.

We have also begun a renewal of our capabilities in car-diovascular 3D computerized imaging. Imaging is central to cardiovascular diagnosis so that we can link the patient to the best therapy, as well as being essential for assessing the impact of new therapies. We have recently expanded capa-bilities in cardiac imaging with the addition of two advanced imaging cardiologists, Drs. Uma Valeti and Bilal Ali. Dr. Valeti leads the system-wide imaging team dedicated to providing the most advanced cardiac imaging in country.

In January 2011, we opened a sophisticated cardiac CT and MR Imaging Center at Fairview Southdale Hospital. This fa-cility provides the most advanced clinical imaging available, and the CT unit operates at the lowest radiation dose of any system. This year, we will install a similar center at the Uni-versity of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, already the site of one of the first cardiac MR programs in the country.

We have also added 3D echocardiolography at both our University and Southdale sites. This enables physicians to visualize the heart valve in 3D, allowing them to identify the exact cause of problems such a leaky heart valves.

From basic science labs, to engineering facilities, to our clinical facilities, the Cardiovascular Service Line is expand-ing- with one goal in mind. We want to be the best.

Cardiovascular Clinical Update

we want to be the best

Robert F. Wilson, M.D.Professor of Medicine (Interventional Cardiology)Executive Medical Director University of Minnesota Physicians Cardiovascular Service LineDirector, Interventional-Cardiology Fellowship Program

Providing outstanding, innovative clinical care to every patient is the guiding principle of the University of Min-nesota Cardiovascular Program. This principle is the foundation and driving force of the Lillehei Heart Insti-tute/University of Minnesota Cardiovascular Program. It is depicted in the 2010 Cardiovascular Division Report through information and photographs about the Cardio-vascular team, program and services.

The University’s Cardiovascular Program stands alone in its profound and lasting impact on advancing treatment for heart disease. We are focused on continuing our noble tradition and invite you to join us on this exciting medical journey to cure heart disease. If you would like a hard copy of this report, please call the Cardiovascular Di-vision at (612) 625-9100, or print a copy from our website at http://www.med.umn.edu/cardiology/.

U of M Cardiovascular Division Report

© 2010 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

Give to the U of M Cardiovascular Program

You have the power to wipe out heart disease and to improve the quality of life for those with heart disease, including yourself or a family member. By providing a gift to the University of Minnesota Cardiovascular Program, you can have an immediate impact on programs that advance heart health. So join us on this exciting medical journey to cure heart disease!

Gifts are accepted by the Minnesota Medical Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports health-related research, education, and service at the University of Minnesota.

There are three ways to make a gift:

1.) By phone: (800) 922-16632.) By mail: Minnesota Medical Foundation, PO Box 64001, St. Paul, MN 55164-00013.) Online: Give to the Lillehei Heart Institute at https://www.mmf.umn.edu/give/?webfund=234

Give to the Friends of Cardiology at https://www.mmf.umn.edu/give/?giveto=2772 You can also learn about additional ways to give, such as through appreciated securities, real estate, bequests, trusts, and more, by contacting the Minnesota Medical Foundation at (800) 922-1663.

Thank you for your generous support!

only advanced, innovative research will provide a cure.

Bronze Award statue

The inaugural Robert J. Bache, M.D. Lectureship was held at the University of Minnesota’s McNa-mara Alumni Center on October 20, 2010. The Lectureship hon-ored Dr. Bache and his accom-plishments that span more than 30 years as a physician scientist at the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Bache has maintained an active research program for more than 30 years which has

made seminal contributions to the understanding of coronary

blood flow regulation and perturba-tions of coronary circulation that occur

in diseased hearts. His more recent research interests have been directed toward understand-

ing mechanisms that regulate cardiac energy production, David A. Kass, M.D.

At the Sixth National Learning Congress for the Donation and Transplantation Community of Practice, the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview’s transplant program received a bronze-level award for heart transplant, from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

This prestigious award is based on a combination of factors including one-year post transplant survival rates, deceased donor transplantation rates, and waitlist mortality rates.

US Dept of Health and Human Services recognizes Fairview’s U of M Medical Center

Best Transplant Survival Rate in the United States

University of Minnesota Physicians Heart, Adult Heart Transplant staff.

Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N., Administrator of HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which leads federal efforts to increase organ and tissue do-nation and transplantation, said, “These organizations and individuals have all made a real difference by working to in-crease the number of organs available for transplantation. We are proud of their efforts. Together, they are helping to save and improve the lives of individuals across America. “

and characterizing abnormalities of energy production/transfer that contribute to the development of heart failure. As a testament to his accomplishments, Dr. Bache’s research program has been continuously funded with multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health since 1975.

The evening’s events included a lecture by Dr. David A. Kass, the Abraham and Virginia Weiss Professor of Cardi-ology, Medicine and Biomedi-cal Engineering at The Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Kass’s lecture evolved around the mo-lecular responses to ventricular dyssynchrony, a presentation that was an exemplary illustra-tion of integrated cardiac biol-ogy, skillfully blending clinically relevant concepts in biomedical engineering with recent discov-eries in molecular cardiology.

Inaugural Robert J. Bache, M.D. Lectureship Recognizes Research Accomplishments

Robert Bache, M.D.

heart of the U4

“Many people fail to realize that cardiac arrest can be treated, and as a result, they don’t do all that they can to make sure that all parts of the community – bystanders, emergency response and hospitals – are all focused on helping the patient,” said Dr. Graham Nichol, University of Washington.

“Working together through the HeartRescue Project, we hope to capture and advance re-

search and actions that will save more people from sudden cardiac arrest.”

The HeartRescue ProjectThe Medtronic Foundation has

committed more than $15 million over the next five years to fund state projects, with all HeartRes-cue Partners sharing the underlying strategy of a multi-layered, coordi-nated and comprehensively mea-sured community-wide response to SCA events.

HeartRescue Partners already have demonstrated that SCA is a treatable event and have made sig-nificant advances in their areas of research and expertise to help save more lives. The task now is to rep-licate that success on a statewide basis, and eventually nationwide.

Measurement also will be a criti-cal component of the HeartRes-cue project. Currently, there is no national standard for SCA perfor-mance and outcomes measure-ment, leaving communities to set their own data collection protocols. This makes it difficult to improve

systems of care with no real benchmarking capability to de-termine successful practices. One of the goals of the Heart-Rescue Project is to promote commonality in data collec-tion.

HeartRescue Partners have also developed a community SCA response planning guidebook, a consolidation of best practices at every level of care: general public, emergency response and hospital. This comprehensive, web-based guide is readily available at HeartRescueProject.com.

In addition to serving as the Director of the University of Minnesota Resuscitation Center, Dr. Demetris Yannopoulos has also secured NIH R01 funding for research which will define the mechanisms of sudden cardiac death.

The HeartRescue Project is an unprec-edented, collaborative effort to increase sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) survival rates in the United States, improving how SCA is recognized, treated and measured. It as-sembles the country’s leading emergency and resuscitation experts to expand and replicate successful city and county out-of-hospital cardiac arrest response programs to statewide levels.

Funded by the Medtronic Foundation and work-ing with a select number of expert partners, including the University of Minnesota Resuscitation Cen-ter (directed by Dr. Demetris Yan-nopoulos), the project is focused on developing and expanding SCA community response systems by co-ordinating education, training and the application of high-tech treat-ments among the general public, first responders, emergency medi-cal services (EMS) and hospitals. More than 90 percent of Americans (295,000 Americans) who have a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) die within minutes. Over the past 30 years, the average national survival rate of 8 percent has not increased. Depending on where you live, how-ever, your survival rate could vary by more than 500 percent.

The University of Minnesota was chosen as an integral part-ner because of their dedication to the development, evaluation and advancement of novel life-saving technologies for the treatment of acute cardiovascular collapse, including cardiac arrest, shock and trauma. It employs a multi-disciplinary team of individuals from academia, gov-ernment, community medicine and industry that focuses on three distinct programs: pre-clinical research, clinical trials and translational medicine.

Working initially in five states, HeartRescue Partners at the Universities of Arizona, Duke, Minnesota, Pennsylva-nia and Washington and their partner agencies will aim to improve SCA out-of-hospital survival rates by at least 50 percent within five years by measuring and coordinating community-wide response programs that include bystand-ers, emergency medical services and hospitals.

University of Minnesota Resuscitation Center Integral to HeartRescue Project

U of M Cardiologist Demitris Yannopoulos, M.D., developed new resusciatation techniques and technology in collaboration with Dr. Keith Lurie and currently leads the U of M section of the Minnesota Resuscitation Consortium.

The Cardiovascular Newsletter of the University of Minnesota 5

The Lillehei Heart Institute at the University of Minnesota is embarking upon its third year of the Summer Research Scholars program. These highly competitive, prestigious scholarships are designed to expose highly qualified stu-dents to several disciplines within cardiovascular medicine and encourage medical and scientific careers.

Each scholar is supported by a named research scholarship. The major focus is on intensive basic or clinical research with each scholar being assigned a laboratory and a faculty men-tor. In addition, scholars are introduced to clinical, industrial, and academic medicine through a variety of field trips, semi-nars and hands-on experiences. Weekly seminars by faculty

and industry leaders offer the scholar a window into career opportunities in cardiovascular science and medicine.

Each scholar spends an intensive 10 weeks performing ei-ther basic or clinical research within the Institute. In addition to field trips and seminars, they present their data in front of senior scientists at the annual cardiovascular retreat.

“One major goal of our program is based on relation-ships”, said Mary G. Garry, Ph.D., director of the scholars pro-gram, “We firmly believe that the relationship between men-tor and student is most important in developing career goals. In today’s world, everyone needs an advocate. If we accept a scholar into our program and they come here and give us their best effort, then they can expect that their mentor will serve as their advocate for their career development.”

Several scholars have gone on to pursue programs in cardiovascular medicine and science. “When you pres-ent opportunities and guidance to young people such as these—the sky is the limit,” said Dr. Garry. “The University of Minnesota has led the world in cardiovascular medicine. With this program, we intend to build the future leaders in cardiovascular medicine and science”.

The scholars program has been supported by the gen-erosity of the Lillehei Family Foundation and the St. Paul Foundation. For more information, or to become a donor for this program, contact Mary G. Garry, Ph.D., at the Uni-versity of Minnesota’s Lillehei Heart Institute.

LHI Summer Research Scholar Program students

It is hard to imagine that only last summer, Bo (Julia) Sun was a Summer Scholar in the Lillehei Heart Institute at the University of Minnesota. Today, she is an accomplished researcher who has received national acclaim as a semi-finalist in both the Siemens Compe-tition in Math, Science & Technology, and the Intel Science Talent Search, two of the nation’s premier high school science competitions.

Bo, a 2010 LHI Summer Scholar, used her summer research findings as the basis of the research proj-ect she submitted to both competitions last fall. Her project involved the development of a cardiomyocyte cell line and regenerative studies of the adult heart. Establishment of the long-term cell cultures will allow for experiments to deter-mine factors that can be applied to enhance the capability of the human heart to regenerate.

The Siemens Competition, the nation’s leading original re-search competition, recognizes remarkable talent early on, fostering individual growth for high school students who are willing to challenge themselves through science research. A record number of 1,372 projects were received this year,

with 312 students named as semifinalists. Bo was a semifinalist winner of this award.

The Intel Science Talent Search (STS) in-cluded 11,000 applicants from which 300 semifinalists were selected. Bo was one of five semi-finalists from the state of Minneso-ta. Alumni of STS hold more than 100 science and math honors, including seven Nobel Priz-es and four National Medals of Science.

In addition to these national competitions, Bo also recently received multiple awards at the Minneso-ta State Science Fair, including the Medtronic Foundation Award, as one of the top two projects in Medicine & Health, the Seagate Outstanding Achievement for First Year Present-er Award, and the Grand Award, for second place overall.

“These students inspire us all with their passion and com-mitment to serious scientific research,” said Thomas Mc-Causland, chairman of the Siemens Foundation. “As America focuses on reinvigorating math and science education, they remind us of what is possible when young people are chal-lenged to do science at the highest level.” Bo pursued her summer research project in the laboratory of Dr. Daniel Garry.

2010 LHI Summer Scholar Showcases Her Research to a National Audience

Lillehei Heart Institute‘s Summer Research Scholars Program Enters its 3rd Year

heart of the U6

Dr. Gary Francis: AHA Heart and Stroke Hero

The American Heart Association/American Stroke Associa-tion has named Gary Francis, M.D., the winner of their Heart and Stroke Hero Award as a physician scientist.

Dr. Francis is the Director of the Heart Failure Program and Associate Director of Lillehei Clinical Trials Center and a Cardiologist with University of Minnesota Physicians.

Dr. Francis was nominated for the award by Daniel Garry, M.D., Ph.D., Chief of the University’s Cardiovascular Division and Director of the Lillehei Heart Institute. Dr. Garry wrote:

“No other faculty member within the Cardiovascular Divi-sion is more respected by his peer faculty members or train-ees for his integrity and his commitment to education. He is generous with his time and efforts, supportive of fellows and faculty members at the University of Minnesota, and is an outstanding communicator sharing his sense of humor with trainees, colleagues, staff and patients. He lives and models a life of excellence—refusing to provide anything but the fin-est education, research and patient care at the University. Dr. Francis has transformed cardiovascular care for the state of Minnesota. He inspires those around him to make an im-pact in cardiovascular medicine.”

As a “Heart & Stroke Hero”, Dr. Francis stated, “Whatever success that I have had I owe to others. I have been privi-leged over the past 30 years to have worked with some of the finest and most creative minds in the field, and have had access to some of the very best nurses, trainees and

research fellows to help carry out these studies. It is the patients, however, from whom I have learned the most. It is the unselfishness of the many patients who participated in our research, and the AHA which sponsored and funded much of our work that made our success possible.”

Other University of Minnesota cardiologists who have won this award include Robert Bache, M.D., the 2008 hon-oree and Robert Wilson, M.D., in 2009.

“Receiving this award three years in a row shows the ex-cellence of care that is offered here at the University” said Dr. Garry. “Dr. Francis exemplifies that excellence in every-thing he does”.

We also celebrate Dr. Gary Francis, as he was recently ap-pointed to serve on the 2011 AHA Scientific Sessions Plan-ning Group. Dr. Francis is also Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cardiac Failure.

LHI Symposium: Successes in Heart Failure

In October of every year, the Lillehei Heart Institute (LHI) at the University of Minnesota presents a research sympo-sium with the goal of enhancing the research environment in Minnesota and providing an opportunity for faculty, fellows, and trainees to engage with top leaders and innovators in the cardiovascular community.

The 2010 Lillehei Heart Institute symposium, entitled “Suc-cesses in Heart Failure”, was held October 27, 2010 and fea-tured internationally renowned speakers Joseph Loscalzo, MD, PhD (Harvard Medical School), Jonathan Seidman, PhD (Harvard Medical School), Elizabeth McNally, MD, PhD (Uni-versity of Chicago), Andrew Marks, MD (Columbia Univer-sity), and Jeffery Molkentin, PhD (University of Cincinnati). These five speakers presented engaging talks on therapies for heart failure, genetics of heart disease, and much more. Following the talks, sixty LHI postdoctoral fellows and clinical fellows highlighted their research in the event’s poster ses-sion. Thank you to all who attended, and congratulations to those who received poster awards.

The Cardiovascular Newsletter of the University of Minnesota 7

Dr. Jay Cohn: AHA Distinguished Scientist

The American Heart Association announced the designa-tion of five Distinguished Scientists for 2010. These renowned scientists were honored by the association for their research, that has importantly advanced the understanding of cardio-vascular disease and stroke. The awardees joined the ranks of 65 other preeminent researchers and scientists, and were recognized November 14, 2010 at the Opening Session of the Scientific Sessions in Chicago.

Jay N. Cohn, M.D., F.A.C.C., Professor of Medicine; Di-rector, Rasmussen Center for Cardiovascular Disease Pre-vention, was recognized as one of the AHA Distinguished Scientists for his contributions to our understanding of car-diovascular disease and for his leadership in designing and carrying out clinical trials to document efficacy of new in-terventions for heart failure. In recent years he has focused on efforts of early identification of cardiovascular disease in order to initiate therapy before organ system disease devel-ops. His innovative efforts at early detection have included screening to diagnose stiffening of the small arteries, using a methodology he developed at the University of Minne-sota that is now FDA approved and marketed worldwide. He has presented numerous honorary lectures around the world and has served as visiting professor at many universi-ties in the U.S. and abroad.

Dick Bianco Elected Chairman of International Medical Devices Society

The International Medical Devices Society (IMD Society) has announced that University of Minnesota Associate Pro-fessor Richard W. Bianco has been elected for a two-year term as Chairman of the IMD Society. Bianco has been ac-tively engaged with the IMD Society’s activities for over five years, and has introduced, advanced, and engaged multi-disciplinary industries in discussions of safety, efficacy, and standardization of medical devices in the Society’s forums.

Mr. Bianco is the Director of Experimental Surgical Ser-vices (ESS) at the Lillehei Heart Institute provides experts in designing and conducting the appropriate research to deter-mine the safety and efficacy of cardiovascular implantable devices and surgical techniques, and efficacy for regulatory submission. ESS is the industry leader in researching and testing cardiac devices and surgical techniques, with Bianco having 25 years experience in the preclinical assessment of virtually every animal model.

During the next two years, Bianco will lead the Society’s efforts to support the research, development, and dissemi-nation of effective device technologies, and to bring togeth-er cross-functional industries in the engagements of tech-nology transfers, standardization, and safety.

“We are very delighted to have Dick Bianco as the Chair of the Society, his leadership and guidance will forward the in-dustry and patient care,” said James Welton, Executive Vice President of the IMD Society. “His experience, expertise, and passion for advancing research are an inspiration to us all, and we look forward to working with Dick.”

Jay N. Cohn, M.D.

Richard Bianco

heart of the U8

As part of our goal to cure heart disease, the Lillehei Heart Insti-tute (LHI) is proud to announce the success of our first-ever gala to benefit cardiovascular care and research. This gala, entitled “Red Hot Soirée,” was a black tie event held at the historic Depot in Downtown Minneapolis on Saturday, April 30, 2011. It was an eve-

Inaugural Gala Fundraising Event a Red Hot Successning of dinner and entertainment highlighting discoveries and bold clinical innovations while underlying our mission of preventing, treating and curing cardiovascular disease.

LHI received unprecedented support from community leaders united in the desire to further cardiovascular re-search at the University of Minnesota. The support received will be focused directly towards costs associated with car-diovascular research and education at the Lillehei Heart Institute and the University of Minnesota. By creating this partnership between the University and the community, we are all supporting research and providing services to those struggling with this unpredictable disease. A disease that is the #1 cause of death worldwide, affecting one out of every three people. Our community will feel the lasting benefit to end heart disease and improve cardiovascular health.

Info and photos from the event: http://www.med.umn.edu/lhi/news_events/RedHotSoiree/home.html.

Watch for a Save the Date!2nd Annual Red Hot Soiree • Spring 2012

A sold out crowd bids on fabulous live auction items - like a week-long stay at a villa in Tuscany - egged on by the auctioneer, WCCO’s Frank Vascellaro.

The Cardiovascular Newsletter of the University of Minnesota 9

The University of Minnesota has committed to the con-struction of a new 60,000 square-foot Lillehei Heart Insti-tute research facility to further enhance clinical and basic science research and development. The world-class car-diovascular research space will occupy and share core re-sources in a new 280,000-square-foot building designed to facilitate cross-disciplinary research. Construction will begin in 2011.

The construction of this new facility is a commitment to keeping Minnesota a leader in biomedical advances. The building will be the latest addition to the University of Min-nesota’s Biomedical Discovery District, a collection of state-of-the-art research facilities located on the north side of TCF Bank Stadium.

Also part of the state-backed project, the University’s world-renowned Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR), which is used frequently for cardiovascular re-search, is being renovated and expanded. This expanded building will house a new magnet that will be the largest ever attained for human studies.

Construction of New Heart Research Facility Begins this Year

heart of the U10

Cardiovascular Program Reached Major Milestone with 500th LVAD Implantation

Today, University researchers are testing the new-est VADs in the laboratory and expect to implant them in patients next year.

In 2010, the University of Minnesota cardiovas-cular program reached a significant milestone by implanting their 500th Left Ventricular As-sist Device (LVAD). An LVAD is a mechanical pump that is implanted to assist the heart in pumping blood to the body. Blood is chan-neled from the left ventricle and pumped into the aorta. In other words, an LVAD ei-ther takes over or assists the pumping role of the left ventricle - the heart’s main pump-ing chamber.

Many LVAD’s are implanted in heart transplant candidates as a bridge to transplant. Some candidates even experience improved heart function while assisted by a LVAD, making the transplant unnecessary. If a patient is not a candidate for a heart transplant, he/she may also receive a perma-nently implanted LVAD as an alternative to the transplant.

The University of Minnesota implants 60-80 ventricular as-sist devices per year, while also assisting staff at other medi-cal centers across the country as they develop their own VAD programs. In addition to providing this life saving therapy, the University of Minnesota has one of the best survival rates fol-lowing LVAD placement in the United States. This dedication to the health of their patients has allowed the U of M Car-diovascular Program to become one of the top five programs in the country, in terms the number of patients, while at the same time ensuring that patient outcomes are outstanding.

What is a left ventricular assist device (LVAD)?

A left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a battery-operated, mechanical pump-type device that’s surgically implanted. It helps maintain the pumping ability of a heart that can’t effectively work on its own.

LVADs are sometimes called a “bridge to transplant,” but can be used in long-term therapy. People awaiting a heart transplant often must wait a long time before a suitable heart becomes available. An LVAD can help a weak heart and “buy time” for the patient. LVADs are also being used long-term in end-stage heart failure patients for whom tramsplant is not an option.

A common type of LVAD has a tube that pulls blood from the left ventricle into a pump. The pump then sends blood into the aorta (the large blood vessel leaving the left ventricle). Another tube attached to the pump is brought out of the abdominal wall to the outside of the body and attached to the pump’s battery and control system. LVADs are now portable and patients with LVADs can live at home.

Source: “Left Ventricular Assist Device.” American Heart Association. June 13, 2011. Web. July 12, 2011.

The Cardiovascular Newsletter of the University of Minnesota 11

first in the world. It was an exciting time.Dr. Valeti: During my training, I saw how heart issues limit

one’s life and the positive impact a cardiologist could make. Nothing comes close to the professional satisfaction of liter-ally saving a patient’s life on a cath lab table or identifying dangerous heart disease before it strikes using imaging like cardiac CT or cardiac MRI.

Dr. Hirsch: A physician must be able to fully empathize with the inner life of his patient. All of the “empathic tools” – listening, caring and use of humor – must be used to forge a link of trust. Establishing trust is a therapeutic necessity. With that trust, care provided by a doctor must then fit into that unique patient’s life.

Dr. Moller: Compassion.

Dr. Valeti: Clear communication and trust. Patients should be told all the treatment options and the physician’s best recommendation. It is an important balance of discuss-ing choices versus the ideal treatment.

Dr. Hirsch: They range from molecular mechanisms of vas-cular disease, to design of multicenter randomized vascular clinical trials to study new therapies, to education of popula-tion-based determinants of beneficial or adverse clinical out-comes. Ten years ago, I advocated that simple, risk-free, cost-effective testing for peripheral artery disease (PAD) could help prevent heart attacks and strokes. In the next 10 years, I hope the University, and its national and international allies, work to lower rates of leg amputations from PAD. The per-sonal, family and community burden of PAD is more adverse and costly than almost any other cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Moller: During my 50 years in the Department of Pe-diatrics, I have done a number of things: Pathology of cardi-ac anomalies, spending two years as a fellow and a sabbati-cal year in cardiac pathology, exercise testing during cardiac catheterization of children with specific cardiac malforma-tions, educational psychological research in how cardiolo-gists reach a diagnosis (6 Ph.D., theses), long-term (up to

Alan Hirsch, M.D., James Moller, M.D., and Uma Valeti, M.D., are among the newest members of the University of Minnesota’s Cardiovascular Division and Lillehei Heart Insti-tute. Each is a recognized and respected master in his field of cardiology. And each has an innate sense of compassion and commitment for his patients.

The three physicians recently answered questions about their interest in medicine and cardiology, keys to effective patient-physician relationships, their research and goals, and why they chose to join the Cardiovascular Division. Here are their perspectives.

Dr. Hirsch: As a child, hearing my grandparents talk about Bernard Fantus, my great uncle. Dr. Fantus was a first gen-eration Hungarian-American who graduated from medical school in 1899. In 1915, he led an initiative to make medica-tions palatable for children and in 1937 he founded the first blood bank in the U.S. at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. He became my hero.

Dr. Moller: About 70 years ago.

Dr. Valeti: When I was 7 years old, I took long walks with my grandfather and remember really liking who he was and what he stood for. He was a physician who lived by the Gandhian principles of non-violence, kindness and leading by example. Medicine seemed a natural choice.

Dr. Hirsch: In the 1970s, cardiology was seemingly simple, “the very best of great internal medicine.” Then in 1978 at the University of California-San Francisco, I met Drs. Kanu Chatterjee, William Parmley and Barry Massie. Watching these individuals at the bedside and in clinical research showed me that a dedicated cardiologist can save lives, as well as fundamentally improve community health.

Dr. Moller: A four-month elective in pediatric cardiology during my pediatric residency. It was 1960 and shortly after the beginning of open heart surgery at the University – the

What is the key to effective patient-physician relationships?

When did you first become interested in a career in Medicine?

What are your research interests?

What drew you into the field of cardiology?

Meet Drs. Hirsch, Moller and ValetiThey are driven to discover in research, determined to always give their best efforts in clinical care and dedicated to the service of people with heart disease.

heart of the U12

50 years) follow-up of patients with congenital heart disease, and outcomes of cardiac surgeries (established and directed the largest data base of children’s cardiac surgery in the U.S.).

Dr. Valeti: I belong to a small group of individuals who are trained in-depth in interventional cardiology, as well as cardio-vascular CT and MRI. I’m interested in bridging the gap between interventional and non-interventional techniques to offer the safest and best procedure or test at the best time for every per-son with heart disease or at future risk of heart disease.

Dr. Hirsch: I believe this Division is the cradle of the next generation of master clinicians and renowned clinical-investi-gators. To this end, I hope to provide mentorship to our fellows and residents. They have the same hopes I cherished at their age. I believe that mastery of cardiovascular medicine should involve great clinical care, research and education. And, I am certain that greatness is anchored in team effort. The Lillehei Heart Institute vascular program will create a totally new inte-gration between basic science, clinical science and population science, and this integration will directly serve the citizens of Minnesota and beyond.

Dr. Moller: Complete two books I am editing; organize the Cardiovascular Archives and Museum of the Lillehei Heart In-stitute; expand the Adults with Congenital Heart Disease Pro-gram; publish books on the history of cardiovascular care at the University and on the pathology of late deaths after cardi-ac surgeries for congenital heart disease. Finish several papers.

Dr. Valeti: To be part of the team that reclaims the pre-eminent position the University of Minnesota occupied in car-diovascular medicine. My primary goal is to build a cardiovas-cular imaging team that will serve as the backbone for several clinical, research and educational initiatives being planned by the University of Minnesota Physicians Heart team and the Lillehei Heart Institute.

What are your goals for the future?

Lillehei Heart Institute’s Expertise Reaches Around the GlobeFirst exchange scholar impressed by University’s extensive cardiovascular medicine training program.

The University of Minnesota’s Lillehei Heart Institute and China’s Chongqing Medical University (CQMU) have estab-lished a medical scholar exchange program. The first schol-ar, Tao Luo, M.D., a geriatrist from the 1st Affiliated Hospital of CQMU, finished her six-month exchange pro-gram at the Lillehei Heart Institute in December. She was the first Chinese exchange scholar from CQMU to visit the University of Minnesota since the establishment of a formal collaboration between the University and CQMU through the University of Minnesota International Medical Educa-tion and Research (IMER) Program.

Because of the high incidence of cardiovascular disease in China’s elderly population, Dr. Luo’s exchange visit fo-cused on the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, including the prevention, detection and treatment of coronary artery disease, such as novel risk factors, state-of-the-art diagnostic technologies and new management strategies for patients with coronary artery disease.

During her visit, Dr. Luo was mentored by cardiovascu-lar physicians Daniel Garry, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Cardiovascular Division and Director of the Lillehei Heart Institute, and Fei Lu, M.D., Associate Professor in the Cardiovascular Division and Director of the University of Minnesota Cardiac Electrophysiology Laboratory.

Chinese medical exchange scholar Tao Luo, M.D., with Cardiovas-cular Division Director Daniel Garry, M.D., Ph.D., who served as one of her mentors.

The Cardiovascular Newsletter of the University of Minnesota 13

Dr. Hirsch: I am inspired by my father, by a number of our senior faculty, by a series of successful public servants of both political parties and by the entrepreneurial spirit of a multitude of Minnesota businesses.

Dr. Moller: In the last couple of years, I lost four colleagues and friends who were my inspiration; two in particular were Dr. Jesse Edwards and Dr. Richard Dormont.

Dr. Valeti: People I meet each day who have clarity of thought and sense of purpose, don’t take things for grant-ed, can rise above issues related to power or money, and create value in this world. In medicine, they are Alexander Fleming and William Roentgen. In life, Gandhi.

Dr. Hirsch: I re-joined for the same reasons I originally joined under Jay Cohn’s leadership in 1990. First, the Uni-versity is what it says it is: A great, world-renowned, land grant institution that has repeatedly delivered fundamen-tal new knowledge with tremendous practical benefits for Minnesotans, Americans, and the world. Second, my suc-cess as a cardiologist and vascular medicine specialist is di-rectly tied to the resources and leadership provided to me when I arrived. It is high time for me to return my skills to the U. Lastly, under Dr. Garry’s inspired leadership, Lillehei Heart Institute is now becoming one of the important car-diovascular research centers in the world. The new allied relationship between the heart institute and the School of Public Health is unique and not duplicated anywhere in the nation. This Division and the heart institute are the center of discovery. You could say I am “Driven to Discover.”

Dr. Moller: I was in the Department of Pediatrics for 50 years. Several years ago, the University’s phased retirement program meant I had to retire. But, I still had things I wanted to accomplish and fortunately, the Cardiovascular Division gave me an opportunity, a base and a role.

Dr. Valeti: The Cardiovascular Division and Lillehei Heart Institute have a vision to be in the top 10 of all cardiovascu-lar programs in the country. I want to be part of that vision.

Alan Hirsch, M.D.• Professor of Medicine• Director, Vascular Medicine Program• Honors: Magna Cum Laude, Harvard

College; Summa with Highest Honors, Senior Thesis, Harvard College; Educa-tional Achievement Award and Clinical Excellence Award both from Univer-sity; Master for the Society for Vascular Medicine; and President’s Award of the Vascular Diseases Foundation

James Moller, M.D. • Professor of Pediatrics• Former Paul F. Dwan Professor of Pedi-

atric Cardiology and Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, and Chief of Staff of the University of Minnesota Hospitals

• Honors: Past President of the American Heart Association, Past Chairman of the Board of Pediatric Cardiology, Found-ing Corresponding Member of the Brit-ish Pediatric Cardiology Association, and currently, President of the InterA-merican Heart Foundation and the only American cardiologist to be a fellow with the European Society of Cardiology.

Uma Valeti, M.D.• Associate Professor of Medicine• Director, Cardiology Imaging, University

of Minnesota; Director, Cardiovascular CT/MRI, University of Minnesota Physi-cians Heart

• Honors: President, Minnesota State Chapter, American College of Cardiolo-gy; Founding Member, Regional Director for Upper Midwest, Society of Cardio-vascular Computed Tomography; Ameri-can Heart Association Post-doctoral Fel-lowship award; John Sable Award and Thomas Frawley Research Fellowship for research on ischemic cardiomyopa-thy and hibernating myocardium.

Who inspires you?

Why did you choose to join the U of M Cardio-vascular Division / Lillehei Heart Institute?

More about the three physicians:

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New EmployeesAs the University of Minnesota’s Cardiovascular Program evolves into one of the largest and most vigorous programs in the

nation, the number of employees continue to grow. The program has already recruited an additional 15 outstanding cardiovas-cular experts and expects the University of Minnesota to continue being a magnet for cardiovascular leaders. Our ultimate goal is to be one of the top 10 cardiovascular programs in the world by 2015, while at the same time never forgetting that provid-ing outstanding, innovative clinical care to every patient is our guiding principle. Here is a list of our newest faculty and staff:

Neeta Adhikari, P.D. – Senior Research Associate in the lab of Dr. Jennifer HallLindsey Anderson – UROP Employee in the lab of Dr. Michael KybaRomán Barraza, M.D., Ph.D. - Research Associate in the lab of Dr. Michael KybaOmer Bayrak, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate in the lab of Dr. Rita PerlingeiroAshley Brate – Undergraduate Student in the lab of Dr. Michael KybaJoy Bremer – Accountant II for the Cardiovascular DivisionMichelle Doyle, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate in the lab of Dr. Daniel GarryBrian Eby – UROP Employee in the lab of Dr. Rita PerlingeiroAbdulla Ekizer, D.D.S. – Temporary student in the lab of Dr. Rita PerlingeiroAlan Hirsch, M.D. – Professor in the Cardiovascular DivisionKirsta Hoffman – Graduate Student in the lab of Dr. Rita PerlingeiroJane Hutchins-Peterson - Office & Administrative Specialist for the Lillehei Heart InstituteJin Jo Kang – Jr. Scientist in the lab of Dr. Michael KybaRyan Koene, M.D., Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate in the lab of Dr. Rita PerlingeiroCoco Le, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate in the lab of Dr. Michael KybaQinglu Li – Scientist in the lab of Dr. Mary GarryTravis Maher – Assistant Scientist in the lab of Dr. Cindy MartinTim Mayerhofer– Jr Scientist in the lab of Dr. Rita PerlingeiroJames Moller, M.D. – Professor in the Cardiovascular DivisionMegan Multhaup, Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Associate in the lab of Dr. Michael KybaMinh Nguyen, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor in the Cardiovascular DivisionLezlie Nordquist – Budget Analyst for the Cardiovascular DivisionSarah Parker – Jr. Scientist in the lab of Dr. Rita PerlingeiroFabrizio Runaldi, Ph.D., – Postdoctoral Associate in the lab of Dr. Rita PerlingeiroErin Schnettler – Junior Scientist in the lab of Dr. Rita PerlingeiroSeema Shaikh – Graduate Student in the lab of Dr. Michael KybaHeather Smith – Program/Project Specialist in the Lillehei Clinical Research UnitUma Valeti, M.D. – Associate Professor in the Cardiovascular DivisionDenise Windenburg – Assistant Program Director for the Lillehei Clinical Research Unit

The Cardiovascular Division’s annual Stethoscope Ceremony to welcome the incoming cardiovascular fellows for the current academic year was held at the University of Minnesota Campus Club on July 6, 2011. The program included remarks by Daniel J. Garry, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the University’s Cardiovascular Divi-sion and director of the Lillehei Heart Institute, Robert McDon-ald and Ganesh Raveendran, M.D., Director of the Cardiovascu-lar Disease Fellowship Program. As part of the ceremony, each new cardiology, interventional and heart failure fellow received a stethoscope.

The Cardiovascular Fellowship Program offers outstanding ed-ucational opportunities in general and subspecialty cardiology de-signed to develop careers in clinical practice, academic medicine and industry. The fellowship’s core goal is to develop cardiologists with outstanding clinical skills and judgment, while allowing each fellow to develop an area of special interest and expertise.

In addition to providing numerous clinical opportunities, the

University of Minnesota’s Cardiovascular Fellowship Program is associated with a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Training Grant, which is directed at the University by Robert Bache, M.D. This grant allows fellows to pursue research under the tutelage of faculty members who are experts in their fields. It also affords opportunities for interdepartmental research collaboration with the University of Minnesota’s School of Pub-lic Health, Stem Cell Institute and Endothelial Biology Research Program.

The cardiovascular fellowship is offered in cooperation with local hospitals. Clinical rotations at these hospitals provide di-verse training experiences through varied patient populations, levels of patient acuity, service-delivery arrangements, and aca-demic professional relationships.

For more information on the Cardiovascular Fellowship Pro-gram, visit the fellowship website at http://www.med.umn.edu/cardiology/fellow/home.html.

Stethoscope Ceremony Welcomes Eight New Fellows

The Cardiovascular Newsletter of the University of Minnesota 15

When did you first become interested in Medicine? I always considered medicine a possibility, mainly because

I have had several physicians in my family, but for a long time, medicine was not my primary interest. I was a physics major in college and thought that I would be an engineer, but by about my junior year, I realized I didn’t want to sit hunched over a desk with a piece of paper and a calculator solving equations. I was more interested in working with people and medicine seemed like the best way to combine my interest in science and people.

What is the key to effective patient-physician rela-tionships?

A I think honesty is critical. It’s important that we phy-sicians be honest and forthright with patients about what we think, what we know, most importantly what we don’t know, and that when we need help, we are humble enough to ask for assistance from our colleagues.

What are your research interests? I am particularly interested in patients with advanced heart

failure who need advanced circulatory support, such as Left Ven-tricular Assist Devices (LVADs). As a fellow, I had my eyes opened about this therapy. Profound heart failure often is concurrent

Peter Eckman, M.D., represents the next generation of cardiovascular physician-scientists who are continuing to further the University of Minnesota’s decades-old national and international leadership role in heart failure research and clinical care.

Born in Duluth, Dr. Eckman graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a bachelor’s degree in physics. He received his medical degree and completed his residency and general cardiology fellowship at the University of Minne-sota. Following an advanced heart failure and cardiac trans-plantation fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Eckman joined the University of Minnesota faculty in 2009. His fo-cus is on the role of mechanical circulatory support, such as ventricular-assist devices (VADs) for heart failure, and how heart failure may benefit from cell therapy.

“Peter Eckman epitomizes the clinician scientist” said Rob-ert F. Wilson, M.D., Executive Medical Director of University of Minnesota Physicians Heart. “He is an outstanding physi-cian who asks questions and designs studies to improve clinical medicine. This ability to meld clinical medicine to research and innovation is what drives medicine forward and improves patient outcomes.”

Peter Eckman, MDAssistant Professor of MedicineHeart Failure, Transplantation, and Mechanical Circulatory Support

Rising Young Investigator

heart of the U16

with renal failure and seeing patients literally transformed from being profoundly debilitated to vigorous with therapy was amaz-ing and I knew I wanted to be a part of that. What’s exciting to me about this area is that there is still so much for us to learn. We don’t know the best way to determine the speed on the ventricle assist device, we’re still optimizing our understanding of when to implant, when not to implant and, as the risks and potential side effects of this therapy continue to decrease, we may reach a point where this technology largely replaces heart transplant.

I am also interested in the underlying biology of these rela-tively non-pulsatile pumps. When cardiopulmonary bypass was invented at the University of Minnesota about 50 years ago, considerable debate ensued about whether or not non-pulsatile blood flow is biologically important. Only in the last couple of years have we had a sufficient population of patients with long-standing relatively non-pulsatile blood flow and implanted with Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) to determine the benefits., This is an indication of how much we need to learn about the hu-man cardiovascular system and whether or not the blood vessels expect pulsatility to function normally and what are the conse-quences of less pulsatility even if the flow is much better. Ques-tions about the biology of less pulsatile flow are an area that I think the University of Minnesota is well-positioned to answer.

Who inspires you? My colleagues continuously inspire me. I am proud to be

at an institution where open heart surgery and pacemak-ers were invented. I am excited to work with so many col-leagues who are passionate about taking care of patients and advancing knowledge in their fields.

I am also inspired by my patients. These are people who are incredibly sick, may be dying and come to us for help. They put their lives in our hands and that is a humbling ex-perience. Their trust gives me a lot of energy to be the best physician I can be and help improve our understanding of illness so that the next patient who walks through our door gets even better care than the person before them.

Where do you see yourself 10 years down the road? My son will be a teenager and helping to guide him will be a big

part of my life. I also anticipate that 10 years from now the Univer-sity of Minnesota will have made further substantial contributions to the field of VAD support and I hope that I will have been a major part of those discoveries and new therapies for out patients.

What does the U of M Cardiovascular Program mean to the Twin Cities?

I think the University of Minnesota Cardiovascular Program has been a critical foundation for cardiology and medical practice, and an economic engine, for Minnesota and the world. The impact that our discoveries have had on medical care over the last 50 years cannot be overstated. Although we can’t predict what will be next, I think we need to have faith that continued striving to fulfill our mission and academic goals will reap further significant benefits for the health of the people of Minnesota and beyond.

The University of Minnesota Cardiovascular Program’s third annual Cardiovascular Research Retreat was held June 23-25, 2011 at St. John’s University campus in Col-legeville, MN. The retreat, open to all investigators in the program, fosters interaction of basic science researchers, physicians, physician scientists, and active research lab members for intensifying collaborations, grants and fu-ture direction planning.

The retreat had 180 attendees, marking a thirty per-cent increase over the previous year’s attendance. This demonstrated tremendous commitment by the cardio-vascular community and highlighted a dedication to the same goal that guided C. Walton Lillehei – to help people with heart disease.

All participants presented posters and discussed their recent work. The emphasis was on unpublished work and new directions in research.

2011 Cardiovascular Retreat

The Cardiovascular Newsletter of the University of Minnesota 17

Research Funding for the U of M Cardiovascular Program Continues to RiseThe Cardiovascular Program is built on the legacy of University of Minnesota icons who created a culture of innovation

and discovery. These scientists, together with their students and staff, blazed the trail in heart surgery, pioneered new thera-pies in heart failure, established the link between cholesterol and arteriosclerosis, and set the stage for world-renowned programs in organ transplantation.

In the past three decades, tremendous advances have been made in preventing cardiovascular disease. Since 1960, death from cardiovascular disease has decreased in the United States by more than 50 percent. Minnesota has one of the lowest rates of heart disease in the country. The research advances and treatment programs at the University of Minnesota have contributed to these innovative therapies in national and regional heart health.

Today, world-class investigators within the University of Minnesota’s Cardiovascular Program manage a portfolio of highly competitive federal, corporate, and private research grants totaling over $65 million, and are working together with the next generation of young investigators to lessen the toll of cardiovascular disease on all of us.

Here are some examples of our most recently funded research projects:

Colvin-Adams, Monica$9,513 / Actelion Pharm., Ltd.Effects of Combination of Bosentan and Sildenafil (COM-PASS 2) - Supplement

Colvin-Adams, Monica$426,815 / Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation (MMRF)Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients

Doyle, Michelle$22,013 / National Research Service Award (NRSA)Characterization of a skeletal muscle satellite cell precursor population

Duprez, Daniel$2,647,632 / National Institutes of Health (NIH)Arterial Elasticity, Subclinical, and Clinical CVD in MESA

Duprez, Daniel$6,300 / Hoffmann-La Roche PharmaceuticalsPAD Clinical Trial - Start Up Costs Only

Hall, Jennifer$420,853 / National Institutes of Health (NIH)Genetic Risk Factors of Myocyte Contractility in Human Heary Failure

Hall, Jennifer$229,260 / National Institutes of Health (NIH)Genetic Risk Factors of Myocyte Contractility in Human Heart Failure

Hirsch, Alan$93,148 / University of ToledoCORAL Study

Adkisson, Wayne$40,000 / BiotronikThe IMPACT of BIOTRONIK Home Monitoring Guided Anti-coagulation on Stroke Risk

Adkisson, Wayne$149,522 / Medtronic, Inc.Implantable Monitoring for Diagnosis of Hypotension

Adkisson, Wayne$65,019 / St. Jude Medical, Inc.The BRADYCARE Study

Chen, Lin Yee$308,000 / American Heart Association (AHA)Gene-Gene and Gene Environment Interactions in Atrial Fibrillation

Chen, Yingjie$415,250 / National Institutes of Health (NIH)DDAH1 Effects on Endogenous NOS Inhibitors and Vascular Endothelial Function

Chen, Yingjie$415,250 / National Institutes of Health (NIH)Regulation of the Novel mTOR Suppressor DDIT4 in the Failing Heart

Chen, Yingjie$226,500 / National Institutes of Health (NIH)Regulation of the Novel mTOR Suppressor DDIT4 in the Failing Heart

Cohn, Jay$398,948 / Forest Research InstituteThe EVIDENCE Trial

heart of the U18

Huo, Yuqing$143,000 / American Heart Association (AHA)Core 2 1-6-N-Glucosaminyltransferase-I in Diabetic Athero-sclerosis

Huo, Yuqing$127,266 / University of MichiganModulation of leukocyte adhesion by P-selection / PSGL-1 signaling

Konety, Suma$74,635 / National Institutes of Health (NIH)Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities

Kyba, Michael$15,000 / Minnesota Medical Foundation (MMF)Lineage-Specific Reprogramming to Blood

Lu, Fei$39,000 / Duke UniversityCatheter Ablation versus Anti-Arrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation (CABANA Study)

Martin, Cindy$670,815 / National Institutes of Health (NIH)Etsrp71 regulated networks of cardiovascular development

Raveendran, Ganesh$35,157 / National Institutes of Health (NIH)Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (TIME & LATE TIME Protocols)

Raveendran, Ganesh$35,157 / National Institutes of Health (NIH)Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (Supplment #1)

Raveendran, Ganesh$24,500 / Eli Lilly Co.TRANSLATE-ACS Clinical Trial

Raveendran, Ganesh$67,402 / National Institutes of Health (NIH)Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (Supplement #3)

Yannopoulos, Demetris$2,740,676 / National Institutes of Health (NIH)Sodium nitroprusside and mechanical CPR adjuncts for cardio-cerebral resuscitation

Yannopoulos, Demetris$2,500,000 / Medtronic FoundationHeart Rescue Flagship Premier Partner Program

Researchers Discover Key to Switching Cell TypesIn a recently released article published in the January 2011 issue of Nature Cell Biology, Lillehei Heart Institute researchers Michelina Iacovino, PhD and Associate Professor Michal Kyba, PhD have discovered a gene that is important in controlling whether cells of the embryo make blood or blood vessels. Through the regulation of this gene chemically, they were able to switch cell types back and forth between blood and vessel cells and monitor this change in cell culture. This discovery is a significant breakthrough towards understanding how cells know what they are supposed to be and how these cell types are made in the embryo.

The Cardiovascular Newsletter of the University of Minnesota 19

University of MinnesotaCardiovascular Division & Lillehei Heart InstituteDepartment of MedicineMedical School420 Delaware Street SE, MMC 508Minneapolis, MN 55455www.med.umn.edu/cardiology

www.lhi.umn.edu

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.This publication is available in alternative formats upon request.

upcoming Events

August 5Lillehei Heart Institute Summer Research Scholars GraduationCampus Club, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

September 25 – October 1University of Minnesota Homecoming WeekMinneapolis, MN

October 1Congenital Heart WalkFrench Regional Park, Plymouth, MN

October 12Annual Robert Bache, M.D. LectureMcNamara Alumni Center, Minneapolis, MN

October 20Women’s Take Heart EventMcNamara Alumni Center, Minneapolis, MN

October 29AHA 2011 Heart & Stroke Gala: Wild at HeartThe Depot, Minneapolis, MN

November 12 – 16 2011 AHA Scientific Sessions ConferenceOrange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL

May 2, 2012Annual Jay N. Cohn, M.D. LectureMcNamara Alumni Center, Minneapolis, MN

Spring, 2012Red Hot Soiree(watch for Save the Date)