Penn CVI Affiliate Members (Non-Faculty)
Affiliate members are made up of non-faculty basic scientists, translational researchers,
clinical investigators, medical students, graduate students, housestaff, postdoctoral fellows and others participating in
cardiovascular research and educational programs of the Penn CVI.
Brian Betensky | Penn Resident
CVI Program Unit(s):
Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention
Myocyte Biology / Heart Failure
Cardiac Electrophysiology / Channel Biology
Research Description:
As an intern, my interests in cardiology remain broad. What fascinates me most
at this point in my training are arrhythmias, heart failure and cardiomyopathies.
I am particularly fascinated by electrophysiology and hope to
join a project either later in my intern year or as a JAR.
Of note, during medical school I was involved in both clinical and basic research including:
1. a study on the use of cardiac MRI in examining myocardial adiposity and
2. molecular studies of signaling mechanisms of myocardial hypertrophy and angiogenesis.
Jeffrey Billheimer, Ph.D. | Senior Research Investigator (ITMAT)
CVI Program Unit(s):
Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention
Research Description:
I have worked for several years in the area of lipid metabolism especially with
regard to disease processes such as atherosclerosis and obesity. Presently I
am working on proteins that effect "reverse cholesterol transport" and those
that affect the hepatic secretion of VLDL-TG.
Bonne Farberow, RN, CCRA, CCRP | Project Manager, Cardiology, Heart Failure/Transplant
CVI Program Unit(s):
Cardiovascular Development / Congenital Heart Disease, Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention
Research Description:
Heart Failure, Cardiovascular and Diabetes Early Intervention and Disease
Management which includes education, remote monitoring device studies,
multi-site collaborative efforts including minority populations. Primary focus
in the public health clinical and economic impact (s).
Robert Fenning, Resident | UPHS Department of Medicine
CVI Program Unit(s):
Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention
Research Description:
I am interested in vascular biology, including the treatment of coronary and
peripheral atherosclerosis.
Working in the laboratory of Dr. Robert Wilensky,
I participated in the investigation of a novel therapy called darapladib, a
lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (LpPLA2) inhibitor. In a diabetic/hypercholesterolemic porcine model of atherosclerosis, we found that
inhibition of LpPLA2 reduces complex coronary atherosclerotic plaque
development. I am currently studying the role of LpPLA2 on the development of
vulnerable plaque in porcine abdominal aortas.
Anjali Fields, M.D. | Penn Cardiovascular Fellow
CVI Program Unit(s):
Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention, Myocyte Biology / Heart Failure
Research Description:
I am interested in Lipids, Atherosclerosis, Prevention, Metabolic Syndrome, and Heart Failure.
Desiree Fleck, RN, MSN, CRNP, CCRN
CVI Program Unit(s):
Cardiovascular Development / Congenital Heart Disease
Research Description:
I am interested in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease, specifically transition in adolescents and young adults with congenital heart disease.
Marie Guerraty, MD/PhD
CVI Program Unit:
Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention
Research Description: Aortic valve sclerosis, endothelium.
Michael Kaufmann, MD, Resident, Department of Medicine
CVI Program Unit(s):
Biotechnology / Nanomedicine / Imaging, Pulmonary
Research Description:
My current work involves using MESA cohort data to evaluate whether right ventricular structure and function measures on cardiac MRI predict the subsequent onset of dyspnea.
Sumeet A. Khetarpal, Undergraduate, Major in Biochemistry, Biophysics, M.S. in Chemistry candidate
CVI Program Unit(s):
Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention
Research Description:
I work with Andrew Edmondson, an MD/PhD graduate student, on the genetics of HDL levels in humans in Dr. Daniel Rader's Laboratory.
Christopher S. Lee, RN, MSN, CCRN, PhD Student
CVI Program Unit(s):
Myocyte Biology / Heart Failure
Research Description:
Human subject research involving patients with heart failure.
Primary interests: neuroendocrine and hemodynamic variability in response to physiological
challenges, and the use of impedence cardiography. Secondary interest: influence of patient self-care behavior on physiological outcomes.
Joshua Liez, MD
CVI Program Unit(s):
Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention
Research Description:
I am a second-year internal medicine resident ultimately going into preventive
cardiology. My research and academic interest is lipid lowering and
cardiovascular risk stratification and reduction. I've worked with Daniel
Rader and Richard Dunbar on research on HDL-raising medications and on novel
cardiovascular risk markers, and I continue to be actively involved with their
research.
Scott M. Lilly, MD | Penn Cardiovascular Fellow
CVI Program Unit(s):
Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention
Research Description:
An endogenous nicotinic acid receptor (GPR109A) has recently been identified.
Using cell cultures of multiple cell types and human serum derived from a niacin dosing study,
I hope to describe the proximate and downstream effects of GPR109A activation and determine
whether or not there are corresponding alterations systemic markers of cardiovascular risk.
Sean Maloney | SEAS Graduate Student
CVI Program Unit:
Thrombosis / Hemostasis
Research Description: Microfluidic-based models of thrombosis and hemostasis incorporating patterned
collagen, von Willebrand Factor, and tissue factor.
Mitchell McBride, CCRP | Data Management, Cardiology, Heart Failure/Transplant
CVI Program Unit(s):
Cardiovascular Development / Congenital Heart Disease, Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention
Research Description: Heart failure, cardiovascular and diabetes disease management. Device studies,
including telemedicine/telehealth. Access database design, reports and data
management. Research monitor for multi-site trials. Focus has been with primary
care, internal medicine, urban and rural sites.
Freda Patterson, PhD | Project Administrator, Epidemiology Division
CVI Program Unit(s):
Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention
Research Description:
Dr. Patterson’s research focuses on the family unit as a mode of behavior change.
In previous work she has examined smoking cessation indicies among family members of individuals with a history of cancer.
Future work will examine primary prevention strategies for cardiovascular health among populations with a family history of cancer (particularly breast and colorectal).
Collin F. Payne
CVI Program Unit(s):
Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention
Research Description:
I am a PhD student in Penn’s Graduate Group in Demography, and work primarily with Julio Chirinos. My research interests are in the stratification of cardiovascular risk in populations, and the creation, application, and improvement of both clinical and population-wide measures of cardiovascular risk.
Kathleen Joy Propert
CVI Program Unit(s):
Lipid / Atherosclerosis / CAD / ACS / Prevention Pulmonary
Research Description:
Dr. Propert is Professor of Biostatistics in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology and Director of the Biostatistics Core for the Institute for Translational Research and Therapeutics (ITMAT). She collaborates with multiple investigators in CVI for both T1 Translational Research and randomized clinical trials in the areas of lipid metabolism, cardiovascular risks of NSAID use, modeling of right ventricular function, and treatments for pulmonary hypertension.
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