Imaging in Chao Zhou’s lab is promising method to study heart development, disease
Optical coherence tomography shows beating, development in human heart model (Links to an external site)
Author: hbnguyen
Popular heart failure drug no better than older drug in sickest patients (Links to an external site)
Study suggests older drug may be safer for an advanced form of heart failure. Article features CBAC member Douglas L. Mann, the Tobias and Hortense Lewin Professor of Medicine.
Radiation therapy reprograms heart muscle cells to younger state (Links to an external site)
Radiotherapy repairs irregular rhythms in those with life-threatening heart arrhythmia.
New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that radiation therapy can reprogram heart muscle cells to what appears to be a younger state, fixing electrical problems that cause a life-threatening arrhythmia without the need for a long-used, invasive procedure.
Distilling 70 years’ worth of data (Links to an external site)
Jonathan Silva and his lab use computational biology to better understand fundamentals of arrhythmia
Potential mechanical triggers behind inherited heart disease focus of new study (Links to an external site)
CBAC member Nathaniel Huebsch receives nearly $2 million NIH grant to research the role that blood pressure plays in triggering symptoms in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Variations in sodium channel molecular composition may be behind drug efficacy (Links to an external site)
Silva, Nerbonne labs investigate accessory proteins in steps toward precision medicine
Compound may prevent risk of a form of arrhythmia from common medications (Links to an external site)
CBAC Jianmin Cui leads a multi-institutional team to make this discovery. Dozens of commonly used drugs, including antibiotics, antinausea and anticancer medications, have a potential side effect of lengthening the electrical event that triggers contraction, creating an irregular heartbeat, or cardiac arrhythmia called acquired Long QT syndrome. While safe in their current dosages, some of these drugs may have a more therapeutic benefit at higher doses, but are limited by the risk of arrhythmia.
Moreno seeks precision medicine for genetic heart condition (Links to an external site)
CBAC Member Jonathan Moreno conducts cardiac research in Jon Silva’s lab in biomedical engineering.
SentiAR raises $5.1 million for holographic cardiac ablation guidance system (Links to an external site)
Technology allows electrophysiologists to visualize cardiac anatomy in hands-free, real-time 3D. This article features CBAC members Jonathan Silva and Jennifer Silva.
Ghiska Ramahdita becomes finalist in Reach Out SciComm Slam (Links to an external site)
Ghiska Ramahdita, a doctoral student in the labs of CBAC member Nathaniel Huebsch and Guy Genin, will continue on to compete in the finals May 4, 2021
Mechanism behind heartbeat regulation, heart function uncovered (Links to an external site)
New findings show how CaM and PIP2 orchestrate large-scale molecular movement of the KCNQ1 cytoplasmic domain to facilitate channel opening
Faculty receive grant for heart health research (Links to an external site)
Weikai Li, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics at the School of Medicine, along with CBAC Member Michael J. Greenberg, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics, and Michael L. Gross, professor of chemistry in Arts & Sciences, and of immunology and of medicine at the School of Medicine, received a three-year $750,000 grant from American Heart Association for their research titled “Interdisciplinary structural studies of iron homeostasis in cardiovascular health.”
Colored light investigated to control irregular heartbeat noninvasively (Links to an external site)
A team led by Chao Zhou in biomedical engineering will use fruit flies to study a noninvasive stimulation and imaging technique to regulate an irregular heartbeat
Zhou to pursue novel imaging method with Stein Innovation Award from Research to Prevent Blindness (Links to an external site)
With this funding, Zhou and his team plan to develop an ultrahigh-speed parallel imaging optical coherence tomography (OCT) system for motion-free imaging in children
Abnormalities in Sodium Current and Calcium Homeostasis as Drivers of Arrhythmogenesis in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (Links to an external site)
On December 8, 10:00 am, please join us for this virtual seminar by Elisabetta Cerbai, Professor of Pharmacology and the Director of the Center for Molecular Medicine at the University of Florence, Italy.
Arrhythmias After Myocardial Infarction-of Myocytes & Fibroblasts (Links to an external site)
On December 8, 10:00 am, please join us for this virtual seminar by Karin Sipido, a Professor & Head of Experimental Cardiology at the University of Leuven, Belgium.
CBAC Member Richard Schuessler Retires (Links to an external site)
Richard Schuessler, PhD, Director of the Cardiac Surgical Research Laboratory, retires from the Department of Surgery in October 2020, after an accomplished 35-year career at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
How a hologram can show a patient’s heart during surgery (Links to an external site)
CBAC Members, Jennifer and Jon Silva have developed a hologram that visualises a patient’s heart while they are in the operating theatre. They were featured on BBC News. Click on the title or image for their BBC News video.
WashU-developed holograms help physicians during cardiac procedure (Links to an external site)
Holographic display improves physician accuracy when treating irregular heartbeat. CBAC members, Jennifer N. Avari Silva, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at the School of Medicine, and Jonathan Silva, associate professor of biomedical engineering in the McKelvey School of Engineering, co-led a team that tested a Microsoft HoloLens headset with custom software during cardiac ablation procedures on patients at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
Heart’s electrical propagation focus of WashU interdisciplinary study (Links to an external site)
CBAC members, Jon Silva’s and Jeanne Nerbonne’s lab will investigate a novel protein component of the cardiac sodium channels to determine its functional effects in the physiological regulation and pathophysiological remodeling of electrical propagation of the heart.
Rudy lab conducts first study of electromechanics of human hearts (Links to an external site)
Rudy lab conducts first study of electromechanics of healthy, living human hearts. While there have been numerous studies of abnormalities in the human heart, there have not been studies of the electromechanics of healthy adult hearts — until now.
Rudy Received the Chancellor’s Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Links to an external site)
Chancellor Martin announced that CBAC Director and Fred Saigh Distinguished Professor of Engineering, Yoram Rudy has received the Chancellor’s Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Rudy gave a presentation on his work during the award ceremony on November 8.
New model of irregular heartbeat could boost drug efficacy (Links to an external site)
Patients with irregular heartbeats, or arrhythmia, have few effective treatment options — available drugs are not always effective, and implanted defibrillators can be too aggressive.
This article features the work of CBAC member Jonathan Silva, PhD, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering.
Radiation therapy effective against deadly heart rhythm (Links to an external site)
A single high dose of radiation aimed at the heart significantly reduces episodes of a potentially deadly rapid heart rhythm, according to results of a phase one/two study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. This article features the work of CBAC members Clifford G. Robinson, MD, an associate Professor of radiation oncology and of cardiology, and Phillip S. Cuculich, MD, an associate Professor of Cardiology and of radiation oncology.
Mann to deliver keynote address at the Acute Cardiac Unloading and Recovery’s 4th Annual Symposium
Douglas L. Mann, the Tobias & Hortense Lewin Distinguished Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Division) will deliver the keynote address at the Acute Cardiac Unloading and Recovery’s 4th Annual Symposium. The symposium will take place on August 29-30, 2019 in Paris, France.
Congratulations to Dr. Stacey Rentschler!
Stacey Rentschler, MD, PhD, has been promoted to Associate Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular Division) with tenure.
Skandy Awards Honors Innovation and Entrepreneurship at WashU (Links to an external site)
On Wednesday, April 10, 2019, the Skandalaris Center hosted the second annual Skandy Awards. The awards welcomed of the WashU and St. Louis community to celebrate the innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial achievements of Washington University students, faculty and alumni.
CBAC members, Drs. Phillip Cuculich and Jennifer Silva were awarded the Skandalaris Center Awards in Innovation.
Woodard named Wilson Professor of Radiology (Links to an external site)
Recognized for accomplishments in cardiovascular imaging and research
Pamela K. Woodard, MD, CBAC member and professor of radiology recognized for her expertise in cardiothoracic radiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named the inaugural Hugh Monroe Wilson Professor of Radiology.
Rudy named to National Academy of Inventors (Links to an external site)
CBAC Director, Yoram Rudy, along with a faculty member from the School of Medicine, were named to the National Academy of Inventors.
The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellows Program highlights inventors who demonstrate a “prolific spirit of innovation.”
Washington People: Jennifer Silva (Links to an external site)
CBAC member Jennifer Silva, MD, a pediatric electrophysiologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, treats children with abnormal heart rhythms. She has co-founded a startup company that is developing technology intended to help doctors see real-time 3D holograms of the heart during procedures to fix erratic heart rhythms.
Road Map to the Heart (Links to an external site)
Two graduate students turned entrepreneurs transformed a medical breakthrough from a lab project into a clinical tool. Years later, Medtronic bought the company they co-founded for $93 million.
Martin Arthur ‘Finally Ready to Graduate’ (Links to an external site)
CBAC member, Arthur’s long-standing place in the Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering will come to an end later this year when he leaves the university to continue working on his health care startup, ATM Cardiac Diagnostics LLC, which he formed along with fellow CBAC member Jason Trobaugh, professor of the practice in electrical & systems engineering, and Scott Marrus, MD, former CBAC member and a Washington University cardiologist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Yoram Rudy Lab Reunion 2018 (Links to an external site)
In celebration of many years of breakthrough science, the alumni of the Yoram Rudy Lab organized a reunion on May 23-24, 2018 in St. Louis. Speakers and participants included CBAC members, Phillip Cuculich, Jianmin Cui, Jennifer Silva, Jonathan Silva, and Richard Schuessler.
An ‘unprecedented look’ into the protein behind hypertension, epilepsy and other conditions (Links to an external site)
After new technology recently revealed the structure of the protein, the lab of CBAC member Jianmin Cui, professor of biomedical engineering in the School of Engineering & Applied Science, will collaborate with two others to take an unprecedented look into its molecular mechanisms potentially leading to the development of new drugs for these and other conditions.
Challenge for a bold new ablation therapy: Living up to the hype (Links to an external site)
Physicians and patients have long awaited the next step beyond catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT). Could noninvasive stereotactic body radiation be that breakthrough?
$6.8 million to fund research into Cantu syndrome, cardiovascular disease (Links to an external site)
Scientists studying link between rare disease and heart health
CBAC member, Colin Nichols, the Carl F. Cori Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology, has received a grant to study how the genetic mutations underlying Cantu syndrome are linked to cardiovascular disease.
Washington People: Patrick Jay (Links to an external site)
Pediatric cardiologist seeks keys to preventing congenital heart defects.
This article features CBAC alumnus Patrick Jay, who was an associate professor of pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
A sodium surprise (Links to an external site)
Engineers find unexpected results during cardiac research. This article features CBAC members Jonathan Silva, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, and Jeanne Nerbonne, Alumni Endowed Professor of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology and director of the Center for Cardiovascular Research at Washington University’s School of Medicine.
Silva, Nerbonne and Zoltan Varga from the University of Debrecen in Hungary worked with collaborators to take a closer look at the sodium ion channels responsible for creating the electrical signal that makes the heartbeat.They found that certain sodium subunits attached to the main protein in different places. It was an unexpected result that could lead to better drug delivery and efficacy for patients with heart arrhythmia.
Researchers connect molecular function to high blood pressure, diseases (Links to an external site)
CBAC member Jianmin Cui, professor of biomedical engineering, and collaborators in three labs at WashU are studying the BK channel, which has been found to be important in regulating neuronal function and blood pressure.
Common heart ailment target of new research (Links to an external site)
Jon Silva and his team will study how small molecules and proteins interact with ion channels in the heart to cause and prevent arrhythmia, when the heart beats too fast, too slow, or is too unstable
FDA Clears Noninvasive CardioInsight Mapping Solution from Medtronic (Links to an external site)
The CardioInsight ECGI system was cleared by the FDA. After 30 years of development and validation in CBAC Director Yoram Rudy’s laboratory, he hopes to see ECGI in clinical use in hospitals, helping to treat cardiac patients.
Van Hare Named President-Elect of the Heart Rhythm Society (Links to an external site)
CBAC member George F. Van Hare III, MD, director of the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named president-elect of the Heart Rhythm Society, a global research and education group focused on cardiac rhythm disorders.
Researchers create first 3-D mathematical model of uterine contractions (Links to an external site)
CBAC member Arye Nehorai, the Eugene and Martha Lohman Professor of Electrical Engineering and chair of the Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering in the School of Engineering & Applied Science, and his team have developed the first 3-D multiscale mathematical model of the electrophysiology of a woman’s contractions as they begin from a single cell to the myometrium, or uterine tissue, into the uterus
How a Frankenstein Prototype Ended Up Being Worth $93M (Links to an external site)
While working a Case Western Reserve University, CBAC Director Yoram Rudy, PhD had the idea for a game-changing cardiac monitoring device–a vest filled with more than 200 sensors that could detect the heart’s electrical activity. While standard 12-lead EKGs had become the gold standard for detecting many heart problems, EKGs still can miss cardiac problems because they only probe electrical potential at a limited number of points on the body.
CBAC 10th Anniversary Symposium
On Friday, August 28th, the Cardiac Bioelectricity & Arrhythmia Center (CBAC) of Washington University held a one-day symposium celebrating its 10th anniversary. The symposium addressed basic research and clinical issues in the field of cardiac arrhythmias. Faculty included speakers from Washington University and guests from all around the world.
New insights in mechanisms of human cardiac arrhythmias (Links to an external site)
Medtronic acquired CardioInsight Technologies, developer of a clinical noninvasive imaging system, called ECGI, for noninvasive mapping of the electrical activity of the heart and cardiac arrhythmias. The ECGI concept and methodology were developed in Professor Yoram Rudy’s laboratory with support from the NIH – National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
NIH grant to support study of heart’s inner mechanisms (Links to an external site)
Findings could lead to better treatment for cardiac arrhythmia and long QT syndrome.CBAC member Jianmin Cui, PhD, has received a nearly $1.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the molecular bases for the function of potassium channels vital for the heart, brain, inner ear and other tissues.
Nanoparticle that lights up artery-clogging plaque to be evaluated in clinical trial (Links to an external site)
CBAC member Pamela Woodard, MD, led a team that designed a new imaging agent that may light up dangerous plaque in arteries.
New technology focuses diffuse light inside living tissue (Links to an external site)
CBAC alumnus Lihong Wang, the Gene K. Beare Professor of Biomedical Engineering, continues to build on his groundbreaking technology that allows light deep inside living tissue during imaging and therapy.
Research opens opportunities to develop targeted drug therapy for cardiac arrhythmia (Links to an external site)
CBAC members Jianmin Cui, PhD, professor of biomedical engineering, and Mark Zaydman, fifth-year MD/PhD student, and a team of biomedical engineers has discovered that for one important channel in the heart, called KCNQ1, the membrane voltage not only causes the channel to open, but also determines the properties of the electrical signals, acting as both conductor and composer rather than only conductor as previously believed.