A photo of David Morales.

Director, Congenital Heart Surgery, Heart Institute

Clark-Helmsworth Chair of Cardiovascular Surgery

Professor, UC Department of PediatricsUC Division of Surgery

513-803-9150

Board Certified

My Biography & Research

Clinical Interests

Congenital heart surgery; heterotaxy syndrome; pediatric heart and lung transplantation; mechanical circulatory support

Research Interests

Clinical and translational research related to mechanical circulatory support and tissue engineering

Academic Affiliation

Professor, UC Department of PediatricsUC Division of Surgery

Clinical Divisions

Heart, Heart Failure, Lung Transplant, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cardiomyopathy, Fetal Heart Program

Research Divisions

Cardiothoracic Surgery, Heart



My Education

MD: Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.

Residency: General and cardiothoracic surgery, New York-Presbyterian Medical Center, Columbia University, New York, NY.

Fellowships: Congenital heart surgery, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor University, Waco, TX.

Board certifications: Surgery, thoracic surgery, congenital heart surgery.

My Publications

ABCs of Stroke Prevention: Improving Stroke Outcomes in Children Supported with a Ventricular Assist Device in a Quality Improvement Network. Villa, CR; Vanderpluym, CJ. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. 2020; 13:e006663-1052.

Higher Flow on Cardiopulmonary Bypass in Pediatrics Is Associated With a Lower Incidence of Acute Kidney Injury. Reagor, JA; Clingan, S; Gao, Z; Morales, DL S; Tweddell, JS; Bryant, R; Young, W; Cavanaugh, J; Cooper, DS. Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2020; 32:1015-1020.

Fourth Annual Pediatric Interagency Registry for Mechanical Circulatory Support (Pedimacs) Report. Morales, DL S; Adachi, I; Peng, DM; Sinha, P; Lorts, A; Fields, K; Conway, J; St. Louis, JD; Cantor, R; Koehl, D; et al. Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 2020; 110:1819-1831.

Commentary: Is two ever better than one in pediatric ventricular assist device support? The controversy continues. Riggs, KW; Morales, DL S; Zafar, F. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2020; 160:1309-1310.

Myocardial fibrosis, diastolic dysfunction and elevated liver stiffness in the Fontan circulation. Alsaied, T; Moore, RA; Lang, SM; Truong, V; Lubert, AM; Veldtman, GR; Averin, K; Dillman, JR; Trout, AT; Mazur, W; et al. Open Heart. 2020; 7:e001434-e001434.

Optimizing Postcardiac Transplantation Outcomes in Children with Ventricular Assist Devices: How Long Should the Bridge Be?. Riggs, KW; Zafar, F; Lorts, A; Villa, CR; III, BR; Morales, DL S. ASAIO Journal. 2020; 66:787-795.

Pondering Higher-Risk Pediatric Heart Donors: Can We Use More?. Riggs, KW; Kroslowitz, BJ; Chin, C; Zafar, F; Morales, DL S. Annals of Thoracic Surgery. 2020; 110:198-206.

Atrioventricular Valve Regurgitation in Single Ventricle Heart Disease: A Common Problem Associated With Progressive Deterioration and Mortality. Tseng, SY; Siddiqui, S; Di Maria, MV; Hill, GD; Lubert, AM; Kutty, S; Opotowsky, AR; Possner, M; Morales, DL S; Quintessenza, JA; et al. Journal of the American Heart Association : Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Disease. 2020; 9.

The reality of limping to pediatric heart transplantation. Riggs, KW; Zafar, F; Lorts, A; Chin, C; III, BR; Tweddell, JS; Morales, DL S. Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2020; 159:2418-2425.e1.

Early experience with the HeartMate 3 continuous-flow ventricular assist device in pediatric patients and patients with congenital heart disease: A multicenter registry analysis. O'Connor, MJ; Lorts, A; Davies, RR; Fynn-Thompson, F; Joong, A; Maeda, K; Mascio, CE; McConnell, PI; Monge, MC; Nandi, D; et al. Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation. 2020; 39:573-579.