62
Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital Research and Clinical Trials
PRECISION GRX REGISTRY – A multicenter postmarket registry for the evaluation of the CorPath ® GRX system effectiveness in percutaneous coronary interventions . Principal investigator : Srinivasa Potluri , MD ; Sub-investigator : Farhan Ali , MD .
WAVECREST – A study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the WaveCrest device in subjects who have atrial fibrillation by comparing it to a similar device called the Watchman ® Left Atrial Appendage Closure device . Principal investigator : Craig Delaughter , MD ; Sub-investigator : Farhan Ali , MD .
CARDIAC IMAGING CORE LABORATORY
Baylor Scott & White Research Institute hosted the Cardiac Imaging Core Laboratory Services for the consolidation , tracking and monitoring of data for cutting-edge worldwide clinical research trials . Services for FY20 included echocardiography , cardiac CT and cardiac MR imaging modalities . Led by Paul Grayburn , MD , FACC , the team advanced cardiovascular care through data collection and analysis . Analysis is based on American Society of Echocardiography ( ASE ) recommendations for its services and protocols are adapted to specific needs of investigators .
Notably , in FY20 , work continued on two Early Feasibility Studies ( EFS ), which offer a first look at the implantation of a new , percutaneously-delivered transcatheter mitral valve replacement ( TMVR ), called the Cardiovalve , in humans . This valve is delivered to the heart by access through the femoral artery and guided using a specialized catheter delivery system in the cardiac catheterization lab . If successful , the valve could offer a safe and effective alternative to open heart surgical mitral valve replacement in certain patient populations . Also in FY20 , the EFS trial began on the Edwards Evoque transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement device for patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation , and the pivotal trial is anticipated to begin in fall of 2020 .
Paul A . Grayburn , MD , FACC Medical Director , Cardiac Imaging Core Laboratory - Baylor Scott & White Research Institute ( FY20 ); Medical Director , Non-Invasive Cardiology - Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital – Dallas ( FY20 ); Medical Director , Cardiology Research and Education - Baylor University Medical Center . Dr . Grayburn is an associate editor for the Journal of the American College of Cardiology : Cardiovascular Imaging and also an associate editor for American Journal of Cardiology and Structural Heart : Journal of the Heart Team .
DISTINGUISHED SCHOLAR IN CARDIOVASCULAR SCIENCE
Milton Packer , MD , distinguished scholar in Cardiovascular Science at Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Institute , is an internationally acknowledged expert on cardiovascular diseases , specifically heart failure . Recognized with the Hellenic Heart Failure Society Lifetime Achievement Award during the fiscal year 2020 , Dr . Packer continued his leadership role with several landmark clinical trials , including the EMPEROR-Reduced Trial and the EMPEROR-Preserved Trial . He served as a member of the executive committee for the PARAGON-HF trial , which published its primary results in 2019 .
In a sequence of key publications in the first half of 2020 , Dr . Packer established a new molecular and physiological basis for cardioprotection and for understanding the action of new drugs being developed for the treatment of chronic heart failure . Additionally , collaborating with Dr . Grayburn , Dr . Packer ’ s work included the development of a new framework for understanding the pathophysiology of mitral regurgitation in heart failure patients . This work led to several important publications in 2019 and 2020 .
Dr . Packer ’ s widely read four-year-old blog , Revolution and Revelation , continues to appear on the respected news site of MedPage Today . His blog attracts thousands of readers throughout the world with more than 100 essays having been posted to date . Designed to be iconoclastic and thoughtprovoking , the blog allows him the opportunity to share his thoughts on the practice and politics of medicine . His writings led to the 2018 Jesse H . Neal Award for Best Commentary , a prestigious award given for specialized journalism ; the award was announced in mid-2019 . This was only the second time in the award ’ s 63-year history it was presented to a physician .
Throughout fiscal year 2020 , Dr . Packer authored articles that appeared in highly respected medical journals . During calendar year 2019 , he published more than 43 papers in peer-reviewed journals .
Dr . Packer was a featured speaker at several international conferences including the London Postgraduate Cardiovascular Conference on Heart Failure . Additionally in fiscal year 2020 , he was visiting professor at the University of Chicago and at Harvard Medical School . He continues his professorship and faculty appointment at the Imperial College in London .