I have always been fascinated by the potential of modern engineering, physics and technology for solving complicated problems. Specifically, I’m interested in applying these tools to diagnose and treat cardiac disease.
I trained in physics during medical school and my work in graduate school included studies of how the heart muscle uses glucose both in health and disease. I believe our ability to determine properties of the cell using noninvasive imaging techniques is one of the most fascinating advances in medicine.
At Cincinnati Children’s, I serve as director of Advanced Imaging Innovation within the Heart Institute. I am also part of the Cincinnati Children’s Imaging Research Center.
Our research is focused on determining whether changes in the properties of heart muscle — as imaged by cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) — can provide accurate diagnosis and important prognosis for pediatric cardiology patients. We have ongoing studies that include Duchenne muscular dystrophy, heart transplantation, single ventricle and myocarditis patients. We have also studied the changes in heart muscle in sickle cell disease and bone marrow transplant patients.
My clinical focus is noninvasive imaging of congenital and acquired heart disease. I am interested in cardiac MR, computed tomography and positron emission tomography.