This is an exciting time for pediatric cardiology. Recent advances in developmental biology and molecular genetics have provided important insight into the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying both congenital and acquired cardiovascular disease. Technical advances in imaging, interventional catheterization, and surgical techniques also enable us to provide improved care for our patients. The goal of our fellowship program is to prepare the fellow for a career in academic pediatric cardiology. We view our program not as a continuation of residency training but rather, the first step in a career in academic medicine. We strive to create a training environment that will foster not only quality clinical training, but also rigorous inquiry and mentoring that will lead to development of the next generation of leaders in pediatric cardiology. As such, we welcome applicants with a high degree of motivation and self-direction who are able and willing to use available resources to become superior clinicians and researchers. To provide a base upon which an academic career can be built, we expect the fellow to be involved in the design of a curriculum to meet his/her particular interests during the fellowship. Our clinical service is quite busy; however, our faculty is very involved in all aspects of the clinical service. Thus we are able to assign fellows to clinical duties based on individual training needs rather than according to service needs. After completing the program, the fellow should have the training, tools, and philosophy necessary for advancing the field of pediatric cardiology within his/her area of choice. Our program meets all the requirements of the American Board of Pediatrics for subspecialty training in cardiology and is approved by the AMA Council of Medical Education.

ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION PROCEDURE

To be considered, applicants must have completed three years of fully accredited pediatric residency training in North America by the beginning of the fellowship. In addition, graduates of foreign medical schools must possess a valid ECFMG certificate. We can accept applications from persons holding JI visas.

Unfortunately, by institutional policy, we cannot accept applications from anyone holding any type of H visa at the time of application.

We have positions for two fellows each year. We participate in the Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Match Program administered by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP). Last year the deadline for submitting rank order lists was May 22, 2009. We expect that the date will be similar for 2010 but the exact date has not been determined as of this writing. Please consult the NRMP website for more up-to-date information. All applications, personal statements, letters of reference, and other supporting material should be received in Dallas by February 15, 2010. Selected applicants will be interviewed in Dallas between January 2010 and April 2010. The faculty and current fellows meet after all interviews have been completed to review the applicants and prepare the rank order list for submission to the NRMP.

A booklet describing our program and an application can be obtained by contacting our coordinator, Patricia Tavangaran, at patricia.tavangaran@UTSouthwestern.edu or the fellowship director, Lynn Mahony MD, at lynn.mahony@UTSouthwestern.edu. Please include your mailing address. All applications, personal statements, and all letters of reference should be received in Dallas by February 15, 2009.  Selected applicants will be interviewed in Dallas during January 2009- April 2009. 

FACILITIES

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (UTSW) is a multi-faceted academic institution nationally recognized for its excellence in educating physicians, biomedical scientists, and other health-care professionals. The medical center is comprised of Southwestern Medical School, Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Southwestern Allied Health Sciences School. These three schools currently train more than 3,400 medical, graduate, and allied health students, residents and postdoctoral fellows each year. Additionally, UT Southwestern supports more than 1,900 research projects annually, totaling nearly $200 million. Clinical facilities are located immediately adjacent to UTSW. Most of the pediatric clinical work is done at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas (CMC); outpatient and consultation services are also provided at the new Legacy campus in Plano, TX (25 minutes from Dallas). CMC is a private, not-for-profit institution that was established more than 80 years ago. Today, this 438-bed medical center features a 44-bed pediatric intensive care unit, 21-bed pediatric cardiac intensive care unit, 38-bed neonatal intensive care unit, 22-bed telemetry unit, nearly 50 outpatient clinics, and an emergency center designed specifically for children. Cardiology care is provided through The Heart Center, which includes two cardiac catheterization laboratories, echocardiography examination rooms, sedation room, fetal cardiology, exercise and electrocardiography (including pacemakers) work areas, outpatient consultation facilities, faculty, fellow, nursing and administrative offices, library, conference rooms, and administrative staff, all located in one central area. Consultations are performed on newborn infants born at Parkland Memorial Hospital. About 17,000 infants are born each year at Parkland. There is a 30-bed neonatal intensive care nursery at Parkland and 60 beds are available for various “stepdown” levels of care. The average inpatient census is 105 in the well-baby nursery and 65 in the other nurseries. Additionally, adults with congenital heart disease are cared for at Parkland and St. Paul Hospitals (one of our university hospitals) and seen in consultation at CMC and St. Paul Hospitals.

CURRICULUM

In general, the duration of the program is three years. Many fellows choose to complete a fourth year to pursue a specialized clinical interest such as echocardiography or to spend time in a basic science laboratory. The exact schedule is determined in part by the fellow’s interest and previous experience, but an example is shown below:

FOURTH YEAR FELLOWSHIP POSITIONS

We offer qualified fellows an additional fourth year training in cardiac critical care, interventional cardiology, imaging, electrophysiology, heart transplantation, prospective clinical research, and basic science research. The structure of these experiences depends on the interests and skills of the individual fellow. 

RESEARCH

We do not expect fellows to have a research project defined at the beginning of the fellowship. A one month rotation during the first year allows the fellow time to explore possible areas of interest. Research may be performed in clinical or basic science areas. A fellow may choose as his/her faculty mentor a person from inside or outside the pediatric cardiology division. In general, the fellow should define his/her project during the first year and spend most of the second year working on the project. In this way, a presentation can be made at a national meeting during the third year and a publication submitted to a peer-reviewed journal before the end of the fellowship. More importantly, the experience should instill the culture and value of investigative work and lay the foundation for future contributions. The trainee will develop skills in experimental design, data analysis and presentation of results. This schedule is flexible. Fellows with previous research experience, or well-defined interests, may begin research during the first year. Alternatively, some fellows planning to spend four years may not begin their research project until the third year.

Basic Science Opportunities

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center has an international reputation as a leading research institution and supports more than 1900 research projects annually totaling nearly $200 million dollars in annual research expenditures. On the basis of federal individual research grant support for basic sciences, UT Southwestern is among the top 10 biomedical research institutions in the country. The faculty is among the most distinguished in the world. UT Southwestern is home to four Nobel Laureates, 17 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 19 members of the Institute of Medicine, and 11 Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators. There are over 300 graduate students earning their Ph.D. degrees and over 90 students obtaining combined M.D. and Ph.D degrees.

A vast array of research opportunities is available in the area of cardiovascular biology, as UT Southwestern currently boasts one of the largest concentration of investigators in this exciting area of science, including: Eric Olson, Ph.D., Masashi Yanagisawa, M.D., Ph.D., Joseph Hill, M.D., and Daniel Garry, M.D., Ph.D. This critical mass has allowed the institution to successfully compete for selection as the first recipient of a Reynolds Foundation Grant, headed by Helen Hobbs, M.D., for research in the cardiovascular sciences that was recently renewed bringing the total funding to $42 million. Additional post-doctoral fellows training in cardiac development, and graduate students obtaining their Ph.D. or M.D., Ph.D. degrees in the laboratories, provide a rich and interactive training environment. Frequent lab meetings, journal clubs and seminars are an integral part of their experience. This effort has resulted in numerous publications representing advances in our understanding of cardiac development and the genetic basis for congenital heart defects.

The research training that will be required of the fellow will depend upon his/her prior experience and interests. In general, the majority of fellows focusing on basic science research will likely spend a total of four years in their training. Grants are available through the Physician Scientist Training Program at UT Southwestern (http://domino.peds.swmed.edu:8080/pstp/) or the Reynolds Foundation, to assist in funding for these additional years. Those pursuing more clinical research will have a rich exposure to state of the art approaches in understanding the molecular basis of congenital heart disease and cardiac development through formal and informal conferences and discussion.

Clinical Research Opportunities

All of the Pediatric Cardiology faculty members are active in clinical research and as such, fellows may participate in a wide variety of projects. As indicated above, the fellows may also collaborate with investigators outside of pediatric cardiology depending on interests.

Training in clinical research involves more than the traditional apprenticeship with an established mentor and performing a research study. The clinician investigator must be trained in research methodology which should include techniques of patient-oriented research, hypothesis generation, study design, and statistical analysis. UT Southwestern has made a major commitment to the development of clinical research at the medical school and has subsequently created the Department of Clinical Sciences. This department is directed by Milton Packer, M.D., an adult cardiologist who is an expert in clinical trials and who has an impressive record for training young investigators. 

The mission of the Department is to accelerate and enhance the training and career development of clinical investigators, promote the conduct of high-quality patient-oriented research, develop effective mechanisms to facilitate translational research, and provide a formal mechanism of institutional recognition for clinical scientists. 

The following divisions are supported by the Department of Clinical Sciences:

• Division of Biomedical Informatics
• Division of Biostatistics
• Division of Clinical Pharmacology
• Division of Epidemiology
• Division of Health Services Research
• Division of Research Ethics

The curriculum is well suited for candidates who possess both a working knowledge of clinical medicine and excellent scholastic aptitude. Required course work may include didactic courses in basic biostatistics, epidemiology, clinical research design, translational research, molecular genetics, grant-writing skills, and data analysis and management. Program requirements are tailored to meet the individual academic needs. Possible options include:

• Take one or more courses – note that the Cardiology Fellowship requires a course in statistics for all fellows.
• Certificate in Clinical Sciences – designed primarily for fellows. Twelve credits are required with good distribution.
• Masters in Clinical Sciences – requires a 50-75% commitment over 2 years, 24-27 credit hours and a manuscript or research practicum. This requires time beyond the traditional three year fellowship but is available to qualified individuals.
• Masters in Clinical Sciences with Distinction – requires 36 credit hours over 3 to 4 years and an independent research project.

More details: http://www.utsouthwestern.edu/utsw/home/educ/CBSCS/

CARDIOLOGY FACULTY 

Aliessa P. Barnes, M.D.

Assistant Professor or Pediatrics

Medical Education:  University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas
Cardiology Fellowship:  University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas

Recent Publication:

• Barnes A, Daneman S, Guleserian K, Ring WS, Fixler DE. Low Cylex™ Immune Response Associated with Increased Risk of Infection in Pediatric Heart Transplants. J Heart Lung Transplant 2009; 27 (2): S242.

Current Projects:

• Oxygen Supplementation in Echocardiographic Detection of Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery
• Low CylexTM Immune Response Is Associated with Increased Risk of Infection in Pediatric Heart Transplants
• Impact of a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease on parental attachment and anxiety
• Evaluation of a noninvasive scoring system to identify acute rejection in pediatric cardiac transplant patients
• Long term effect of Velcade on antibody suppression in a pediatric heart transplant patient with humeral rejection

Shannon E. Blalock, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education: Texas A&M College of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Special Interests: Heart transplantation;Cardiac MRI

Recent Publications:

• Blalock SE, Matulevicius S, Mitchell LC, Reimold S, Warner J, Peshock R, Torres F, Chin KM.  Long-term Outcomes with Ambrisentan Monotherapy in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Journal of Cardiac Failure. (In press)

Research Projects:

• Right ventricular changes in pulmonary arterial hypertension and systemic right ventricles
• Cardiac MRI

Sarah D. Blumenschein, M.D.

Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Director, Preventive Cardiology

Medical Education:  Cornell University Medical College
Cardiology Fellowship:  Duke University
Special Interests:  Diagnosis and treatment of children with familial lipid disorders

Recent Publications:

• Idriss, F.S., Paul, MlH. and Blumenschein, S.D. Medical management of infants with atrial septal defect- ventricular septal defect. 1972
  
• Blumenschein, S.D., Barr, R.C., Spach, M.S. and Gentzler, R.C. Quantitative Frank vectorcardiograms of normal children and a comparison to those of patients with atrial defects.  Am Heart J  83(3): 382-399 , 1972
  
• Idriss, F.S., Nikaidoh, H., Paul, M.H., Blumenschein, S.D. and Riker, W.L. Early repair of ventricular septal defect in infants and young children. Arch Surg , 103: 265 , 1971
  
• Blumenschein, S.D. Nutrition in cardiac disease. Lorenzen EJ (ed) Dietary Guidelines, Texas Children's Hospital , 1985
  
• Blumenschein, S.D. Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease and Neonatal Polycythemia. Essential of Pediatric Intensive Care 2nd Ed. edited by Levin & Morriss: 211-219 , 1997
  

Michael D. Day, M.D

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:  University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas
Cardiology Fellowship:  Boston Children's Hospital
Advanced Training:  Chief Fellow Boston Children's Hospital Cardiology Fellowship Program
Special Interests:  Echocardiography; Fetal Echocardiograph; Preventive Cardiology

Recent Publications:

• Day M, Gauvereau K, Shulman S, Newburger J. Characteristics of Children Hospitalized with Infective Endocarditis. Circulation : November 2008
  
• Leavey PJ, Day M, Booth T, Maale G. Skip Metastasis in Osteosarcoma. J Pediatric Hematology Oncology. 25: 806-8, September 2003
  
• Day M, Edwards A, Leavey P. Successful Chemotherapy in a case of Infantile Myofibromatosis with Visceral and Choroidal Involvement. Pediatric Oncology , 38 (5): 371-3 , May 2002
  

V. Vivian Dimas, M.D

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:  University of Oklahoma College of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship:  Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital
Advanced Training:  Pediatric Heart Failure and Transplantation 4th year training in diagnostic/interventional catheterization, Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital
Special Interests: Percutaneous therapies for the treatment of congestive heart failure.

Recent Publications:

• Dimas VV, Kovalchin JP, McKenzie ED, Kung GC.  Infected Pseudoaneurysm of a Right Modified Blalock-Taussig Shunt.  Pediatr Cardiol. 2004; 25(6): 700-701.
• Dimas VV, Grifka RG, Fraser CD.  Combined Tricuspid Valvuloplasty and Superior Cavopulmonary Anastomosis for Repair of Traumatic Tricuspid Valve Injury.    Tex Heart Inst J 2004; 31(4): 418-420. 
• Dimas, VV, Taylor MD, Cunnygham CG, Overholt ED, Bourne DW, Stanley JR, Shiekh A, Wolf R, Valentine B, Ward KE. Transplacental Pharmacokinetics of Flecainide in the Gravid Baboon and Fetus.   Pediatr Cardiol. 2005 Nov-Dec; 26(6): 815-20.
• Carlson KM, Justino H, O’Brien RE, Dimas VV, Leonard GT, Pignatelli RH, Mullins CE, Smith EO, Grifka RG.  Transcatheter Atrial Septal Defect Closure: Modified Balloon Sizing Technique to Avoid Overstretching the Defect and Oversizing the Amplatzer Septal Occluder.  Catheter Cardiovasc Interv. 2005 Nov; 66(3): 390-6.
• Kim JJ, Dreyer WJ, O’Brian Smith E, Price JF, Clunie S, Dimas VV, Jefferies JL, Rosenblatt H, Radovancevic B, Towbin JA, Denfield SW.  Leukocyte suppression is associated with improved clinical outcomes in children’s status after orthotopic heart transplantation.  J Heart Lung Transplant.  2006 Feb; 25(2): 195-9.
• Jefferies JL, Denfield SW, Price JF, Dreyer WJ, McMahon CJ, Grenier MA, Kim JJ, Dimas VV, Clunie SK, Moffett BS, Chang AC, Wann TL, Smith EO, Towbin JA.  A prospective evaluation of nesiritide treatment of pediatric heart failure.  Pediatr Cardiol. 2006 Jul-Aug; 27(4):402-7.
• Dimas VV, Leonard SR, Guleserian KJ, Forbess JM, Zellers TM.  Stent implantation for coarctation of the aorta in a premature infant via carotid cutdown as a bridge to surgical correction.  Accepted for publication.  Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.
• Dimas VV, Denfield SW, Friedman RA, Cannon BC, Kim JJ, Smith EO, Clunie SK, Price JF, Towbin JA, Dreyer WJ, Kertesz NK.  Frequency of cardiac death in children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.  Accepted for publication American Journal of Cardiology

Current Projects:

• Dimas (PI) - 12/03/2009 – present - AGA Medical Corporation - AMPLATZER^® Duct Occluder II Clinical Study. This study is a single arm, prospective clinical study to collect safety and efficacy data on the  AMPLATZER^® Duct Occluder (ADO II) for patients with patent ductus arteriosus.  This data ill support a supplement pre-market application to the AMPLATZER Duct Occluder (ADO) PMA (P020024).
• Dimas (PI) - 05/21/2009 – present -  UT Southwestern Medical Center - Coarctation of the Aorta: Long Term Outcomes and Comorbidities. This study will evaluate patients following coarctation of the aorta repair for evidence of arterial dysfunction, a risk factor for future cardiac morbidity. 
• Dimas (PI) - 02/06/2008 – 04/03/2009 - UT Southwestern Medical Center - A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Trial of Combination Vasopressin and Epinephrine to Epinephrine Only for In-Hospital Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. The primary goal of this project is to test the hypothesis that pediatric patients who are refractory to the first dose of epinephrine, and receive vasopressin rescue for cardiopulmonary arrest will demonstrate improved clinical outcomes compared to children receiving epinephrine only

David E. Fixler, M.D

Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:  University of Chicago
Cardiology Fellowship:  Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco
Postdoctoral:  University of London, MSc, Epidemiology
Special Interests:  Hypertension, Kawasaki disease, heart transplantation

Recent Publications:

• McBride KL, Marengo L, Canfield M, Langlois P, FixlerDE & Bellmont.  Epidemiology on non-complex left ventricular outflow tract obstruction malformations in Texas, 1999-2001 Birth Defects Research Par A:  Clin & Mol Terat 2005;73:555-561.
• Gilboa SM, Mendola P, Olshan AF, Savitz DA, Loomis D, Herring AH, FixlerDE.  Relationship between ambient air quality and selected birth defects, Seven County Study, Texas, 1997-2000.  Am J Epidemiol. 2005 162(3):238-52.
• Ghaffar S, Caughy M, FixlerDE. Proximity to hazardous waste sited and congenital heart disease. Arch Environ Health. 2004;59:177-181.

Current Projects:

• 8 year survival among children with complex single ventricle defects born in Texas, 1996-2004: A population based study.
• Pulse oximetry screening of term newborns at 4 hours of age to detect asymptomatic cyanotic congenital heart disease

Candace Gibbin, MD

Assistant Professor Pediatrics

Medical Education: Medical College of Virginia
Cardiology Fellowship: Children’s Hospital National Medical Center
Special Interests: Echocardiography, Fetal Cardiac and Associated Congenital Anomalies and Kawasaki Disease; Community Outreach

Recent Publications: 

• Gibbin C, Touch S, Broth RE, Berghella V. Abdominal wall defects and congenital heart disease.Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2003; 21(4):334-7.
  

Lisa C. Heistein, M.D.

Assistant Professor Pediatrics

Medical Education:  The Ohio State University College of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship:  University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Cardiac Imaging Fellowship:  University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center 
Special Interests:  Echocardiography, Fetal Echocardiography

Recent Publications:

• Heistein LC, Ramaciotti C, Scott WA, Coursey M, Sheeran PW, Lemler MS. Chloral hydrate sedation for pediatric echocardiography: physiologic responses, adverse events, and risk factors. Pediatr 2006;117(3):e1-8.
• Ramaciotti C, Heistein LC, Coursey M, Lemler MS, Eapen RS, Iannaccone ST, Scott WA. Left ventricular function and response to enalapril in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy during the second decade of life. Am J Cardiol. 2006 Sep 15;98(6):825-7. Epub 2006 Aug 2.
• Heistein LC, Scott WA, Zellers TM, Fixler DE, Ramaciotti C, Journeycake JM, Lemler MS. Aspirin resistance in children with heart disease at risk for thromboembolism: prevalence and possible mechanisms. Submitted for publication Sep 2006.

Current Projects:

• Early detection of pulmonary hypertension in adolescents with sickle cell disease
• Safety of sedation in the echocardiography laboratory
• The psychological impact of fetal diagnosis of congenital heart disease

 

Catherine M. Ikemba, M.D

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:  University of Southern California School of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship:  Baylor College of Medicine
Advanced Echo Fellowship:  Baylor College of Medicine
Special Interests:  General echocardiography, ventricular function

Recent publications:

• Ikemba CM, Su JT, Stayer SA, Miller-Hance WC, Eidem BW, Bezold LI, et al.  Myocardial Performance Index with Sevoflurane/Pancuronium versus Fentanyl/Midazolam/Pancuronium in Infants with a Functional Single Ventricle. Anes 2004;101:1298-1305
• Ikemba CM, Eidem BW, Fraley JK, Eapen RS, Pignatelli R, Ayrea NA, et al.  Mitral Valve Morphology and Morbidity/Mortality in Shone’s Complex.   Amer J Card 2005;95:541-543
• Ikemba CM, Eidem BW, Dimas VV, O’Day MP. Fraser CD.  Fetal Rhabdomyoma Causing Postnatal Critical Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction. In Press, Ann Thoracic Surgery 2005 Oct;80(4):1529

Current Projects:

• When is TEE required for evaluation of the atrial septum in the Pediatric populaton?
• The role of matrix metalloproteinases, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases and their regulators in patients with suspected acute inflammatory cardiomyopathy
• The psychological impact of fetal diagnosis of congenital heart disease
• Imaging of anomalous left coronary artery

Colin Kane, M.D

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:  Loyola University, Stritch School of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship:  Emory University, School of Medicine
Special Interests:  Echocardiography; Fetal Echocardiography

Matthew S. Lemler, M.D

Associate Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:  University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Cardiology Fellowship:  University of Colorado Health Science Center
Special Interests:  Echocardiography, evaluation of diastolic function

Recent Publications:            

• Ghaffar S, Lemler M, Fixler D, Ramaciotti C. Trisomy 21 and congenital heart disease: Effect of timing of initial echocardiogram. Clin Ped 2005;44:39-42
• Lemler MS, Ramaciotti C, Stromberg D, Scott WA and Leonard SR. The extracardiac lateral tunnel Fontan, constructed with bovine pericardium: Comparison with the extracardiac conduit Fontan. Am Heart J, in press
• Heistein, LC, Ramaciotti C, Scott W, Coursey M, Sheeran PW, Lemler MS. Sedation for pediatric echocardiography: Physiologic responses, adverse events, and risk factors. Pediatrics, in pres

Current Projects:                                       

• Assessment of cardiac function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
• Safety of sedation in the echocardiography laboratory
• Anticoagulation issues in congenital heart disease
• Pre and post operative risk factors for short and long term Fontan outcome

Lynn Mahony, M.D

Professor of Pediatrics
Director, Fellowship Program

Medical Education:  Stanford University
Cardiology Fellowship:  Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco
Special Interests:  Collaborative trials in pediatric cardiology, Marfan syndrome, cardiovascular evaluation of student athletes, treatment of myocardial dysfunction

Recent Publications:

• Stavinoha PL, FixlerDE, Mahony L. Cardiopulmonary bypass to repair an atrial septal defect does not affect cognitive function in children. Circulation 2003;107:2722-2725.
• Rosenthal D, Chrisant MRK, Edens E,  Mahony L et al. Practice Guidelines for Management of Heart Failure in Children, J Heart Lung Transplantation 2004 Dec;23(12):1313-33.
• Mahony L, Sleeper LA, Anderson PAW, Gersony WM, McCrindle BW, Minich LL, Newburger JW, Saul JP, Vetter VL, Pearson GD. The Pediatric Heart Network:  A Primer for the Conduct of Multicenter Studies in Children with Congenital and Acquired Heart Disease. Pediatr Cardiol, 2006;27:191-198.
• Sleeper LA, Anderson P, Hsu DT, Mahony L, McCrindle BW, Roth SJ, Saul JP, Williams RV, Geva T, Colan SD, Clark BJ. Design of a large cross-sectional study to facilitate future clinical trials in children with the fontan palliation. Am Heart J 2006;152:427-433.

Current Projects:                      

• Steering Committee Chair, Pediatric Heart Network (NHLBI)
• Use of carvedilol in children with dilated cardiomyopathy.
• Evaluation of the reliability, validity and responsiveness of the Pediatric Cardiac Quality of Life Inventory in children and adolescents with heart disease
• Open label study comparing administration Remicade with a second dose of intravenous gamma globulin to patients with Kawasaki disease with recurrent fever.
  

Alan W. Nugent, M.D

Associate Professor of Pediatric
Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory

Medical Education: University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia 
Cardiology Fellowship:  Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, Cardiology; Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Australia, Cardiology
Special Interests:   Cardiac Catheterization; Interventional Cardiology

• Breinholt JP, Nugent AW, Law MA, Justino H, Mullins CE, Ing FF. Stent fractures in congenital heart disease. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv, 72: 977-82, 2008
• Slesnick TC, Nugent AW, Fraser CD, Jr.,, Cannon BC. Images in cardiovascular medicine. Incomplete endithelilization and late development of acute bacterial endocrditis after implantation of an Amplatzer septal occluder device. Circulation  117: e326-7, 2008
• Weintraub RG, Nugent AW, Daubeney PEF. Pediatric cardiomyopathy: The Australian experience.  Progress in Pediatric Cardiology, 23: 12-24,  2007

Claudio Ramaciotti, M.D

Professor of Pediatrics
Director, Echocardiography Laboratory

Medical Education:  Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Cardiology Fellowship:  Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Special Interests:   Echocardiography, Fetal Echocardiography

Recent Publications:

• Heistein LC, Ramaciotti C, Scott WA, Coursey M, Sheeran PW, Lemler MS.  Chloral hydrate sedation for pediatric echocardiography: physiologic responses, adverse events, and risk factors. Pediatrics 2006;117:e1-8.
• Koch J, Henslely G, Roy L, Brown S, Ramaciotti C, Rosenfeld CR. A prospective analysis characterizing the ductus arteriosus in in-born neonates ≤ 1000gm birth weight. Pediatrics  2006;117:1113-21.
• Ramaciotti C, Heistein LC, Coursey M, Lemler MS, Eapen RS, Iannaccone S, Scott WA. Ventricular function and response to Enalapril in patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy during the second decade of life. Accepted for publication by the American Journal of Cardiology, April 2006.

Current Projects: 

• Assessment of ventricular function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
• Ventricular function during ECMO
• Right ventricular pressure and function in patients with sickle cell anemia
• Echocardiographic assessment surgical repair of congenital heart defects in the operating room

William A. Scott, M.D.

Professor of Pediatrics
Chief of Cardiology
Director of Electrophysiology

Medical Education:  Indiana University School of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship:  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Special Interests:  Arrhythmias, interventional electrophysiology, pacemakers, syncope and neuromuscular disease

Recent Publications:

• Scott WA. Syncope and evaluation of the autonomic nervous system. In Moss & Adams’ Heart Disease in Infants, Children and Adolescents, Including the Fetus and Young Adult, edited by Emmanoulides, Reimenschneider, Allen & Gutgesell Baltimore, MD, Williams & Wilkins, 2001, pages 443-451.
• Scott WA and Iannacconne ST. Intensive care management including cardiorespiratory care. In Neuromuscular Disorders of Infancy, Childhood and Adolescence, A Clinician's Approach, edited by Jones De Vivo and Darras, MA, Butterworth Heinemann, 2003, pages 1237-1250.
• Saul JP, ScottW, Brown S, Marantz P, Etheridge S, Perry J, Triedman JK, Acevedo V, Burriss  Cargo P, Wang R, Graepel J: Intravenous Amiodarone for Incessant Tachyarrhythmias in Children: A Randomized Double-Blinded Anti-Arrhythmic Drug Trial, Circulation, 2005;112:3470-3477.
• Scott WA. First and Second Degree Atrioventricular Block In Cardiac Electrophysiology in the Young, edited by Dick.  Cambridge, MA, Springer, 2006

Current Projects:

• Heart Rate Turbulence in patients with Congenital Heart Disease
• Transthoracic Cardioversion of Atrial Flutter and Atrial Fibrillation in Pediatric Patients and Patients with Congenital Heart Disease: A Multicenter, Prospective Evaluation of Shock Requirements, Waveforms and Impedance
• Evaluation of non-contact electrocardiographic recording systems
• Signal averaged ECG to assess heart transplant rejection in pediatric patients
  Indications for ICD implantation in pediatric patient

Thomas Zellers, M.D

Professor of Pediatrics
Vice President of Medical Staff Affairs, Children's Medical Center of Dallas

Medical Education:  University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Cardiology Fellowship:  Mayo Clinic
Interventional Cardiac Catheterization Fellowship:  Baylor College of Medicine
Special Interests:  Interventional cardiology, selective pulmonary vasodilator therapy, adults with congenital heart disease

Recent Publications:  

• Ramaciotti C, Lemler MS, Moake L, Zellers TM. Comprehensive assessment of PDA by echocardiography prior to transcatheter closure of a small patent ductus arteriosus. Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography, 15:1154-9, 2002.
• Du ZD, Hijazi ZM, Kleinman CS, Silverman NM, Larntz K, and Amplatzer investigators (Zellers TM listed with 14 other investigators). Comparison between transcatheter and surgical closure of secundum atrial septal defect in children and adults. J Amer Coll Card 2002; 39(11):1836-1844.
• Pass RH, Hijazi ZM, Hsu DT, Lewis V, Hellenbrand WE, Zellers TM as Amplatzer Investigators.  Multicenter USA Amplatzer Patent Ductus Arteriosus Occlusion Device Trial.  J Amer Coll Card, 44(3) 513-9, 2004

Current Projects:

• Prospective, randomized trial using the Neptune patch vs standard gauze for post catheterization hemostasis
• Phase II FDA trial for transcatheter PDA closure using the PFM Nit-Occlud device
• Multicenter prospective trial of surgery vs balloon angioplasty vs stenting for aortic coarctation (CCISC trial
• Intravascular stents in aorta and pulmonary arteries; effect on endothelial function and vascular healing over time.
• Bioreabsorbale stents in large arteries and veins (collaboration with Dr. Robert Eberhardt PhD)

Ilana J. Zeltser, MD

Professor of Pediatrics

Medical Education:    New York University School of Medicine
Cardiology Fellowship:  Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Electrophysiology Fellowship:   Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Special Interests:    Electrophysiology

Recent Publications:              

• Kaltman J, Gillespie M, Seymour T, Khan A, Zeltser I, Rhodes LA, Tanel R, Vetter VL, and Shah M.  Substrate Characterization of Ventricular Tachycardia in a Porcine Model of Tetralogy of Fallot using noncontact mapping.  Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2007.  November 30 (11): 1316-22.
• Kaltman J, Ro P, Zimmerman F, Moak J, Epstein M, Zeltser I, et al.  Managed Ventricular Pacing in Pediatrics Patients and Patients with Congenital Heart Disease.  Am J Cardiol  2008; 102: 875-878.
• Zeltser I, Gupta A, Bensalah K, Kabbani W, Jenkins A, Park S et al. Focal radiofrequency coagulation-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: a novel nonischemic technique. J Endourol 2008; 22(6):1269-1273.
• Zeltser I, Jarvik GP, Bernbaum J, Wernovsky G, Nord AS, Gerdes M et al. Genetic factors are important determinants of neurodevelopmental outcome after repair of tetralogy of Fallot. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2008; 135(1):91-9.

Current Projects:

• Etiology of Arrhythmias following repair of Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF): Chronic Volume versus Pressure Overload
• Resynchronization Therapy
• Evaluation of novel electrocardiographic recording systems
• Use of Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator (ICD) as Primary Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death in Children and Young Adults

CONTACT INFORMATION

Lynn Mahony, MD                            or                    Patricia Tavangaran
Program Director                                                    Program Coordinator
lynn.mahony@UTSouthwestern.edu                      patricia.tavangaran@UTSouthwestern.edu  
                                                                              214-456-5834 or 800-947-2323

Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
CMC Cardiology
1935 Medical District Drive
Dallas, TX 75235-7701