Department Name

Research Investigations

The division is committed to advancing the care of the cardiothoracic patient through ethical, thorough and well-designed clinical investigations, as well as basic science research. Research focuses include:

·        Heart and lung transplantation

·        Neuropsychological research, with a principle focus on neurocognitive outcomes following cardiac surgery using transcranial Doppler sonography and cerebral oximetry

·        Renal protection during cardiac surgery

·        Investigational device research with several new-generation left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) ensuring our patients access to the most modern LVAD technology (FDA PHASE II Trials)

·        Collaborative research with the department of surgery's inflammation laboratory evaluating the genomic activation and inflammatory cascade associated with chronic heart failure, and the effect of mitigating strategies such as LVAD implantation

·        Development of new generation of ventricular assist device

Clinical Research

The University of Florida Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery is committed to advancing the care of the cardiothoracic patient through ethical, thorough and well designed clinical investigations. As part of this endeavor we have several clinical studies that are now underway to answer questions that will improve the care we administer to patients.

Both basic and clinical research activities have been fundamental to the mission of the University of Florida. Research is an important part of our work within the Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. We help develop & test new treatments and therapies, and make them available to our patients as soon as possible.

The clinical research activity of the Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery consists of 12 individuals devoted to generation of new knowledge in the treatment of thoracic and cardiovascular diseases.

Basic Science

In addition to its clinical research efforts The Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery has ongoing laboratory investigations in close collaboration with other research groups at the University of Florida. As part of The University of Florida study: "Cognitive function after CABG surgery with or without cardiopulmonary bypass" the systemic inflammatory response in patients undergoing bypass surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass is being compared to patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass without the bypass machine. For more information about our Basic Science research click here.