Cardiac Research
Helping Kids With Heart Conditions Live Longer, and Better
Nemours cardiac research in Delaware Valley spans the range of cardiovascular health. We’re in the lab finding solutions to the most pressing issues affecting children’s hearts. We work to further our understanding of heart disease and how best to detect, treat and prevent it. What we learn strengthens the care we give.
Investigators in our Cardiovascular Research and Innovation Program partner within — and beyond — our walls.
We share research ideas and work with other academic centers and industry leaders to explore treatments, design devices and develop procedures to improve the health and quality of life for kids with heart disease. We also create programs to improve children’s physical, mental and social development and help build healthy communities.
Cardiac Clinical Research at Nemours
![Male research doctor pointing at a computer monitor, with doctors beside him Male research doctor pointing at a computer monitor, with doctors beside him](/services/delaware-valley-pediatric-cardiac-center/cardiac-research/_jcr_content/root/container/container/basicblock_834040107/image.coreimg.jpeg/1686926812630/block-research-doctor-j7342.jpeg)
Our researchers lead clinical trials to study new drugs, treatments, devices and techniques. We also contribute to national registries and collaboratives. Some of these include the , which is funded through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the , , and the
These collaborations mean we’re working with researchers across North America to learn more about heart and vascular conditions and to help kids live longer, and better.
At any given time, Nemours is conducting dozens of cardiac clinical trials and registries.
Pediatric Cardiac Research Areas
Nemours actively moves pediatric research forward. Our areas of cardiovascular research include:
- Congenital Heart Surgery
- Cardiac Imaging
- Fetal & Perinatal Cardiology
- Developmental & Emotional Health
- Preventive Cardiology
- Effects of COVID-19 on Children’s Hearts
- Cardiovascular Genetics
- Social Determinants of Cardiovascular Disease
- Quality Improvement
Our research is integrated. We regularly work across our system with the following centers, labs and programs:
- Center for Cardiovascular Research & Innovation
- Center for Healthcare Delivery Science
- Cardiac & Interventional Diagnostic Lab
- Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine (TERM) Lab
- Biomedical Analysis Core
- Biobank & Biospecimen Processing Core
- Molecular Cardiology Lab
Our Research Leadership
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![round image Christian Pizarro, MD - Chief, Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery - Nemours Cardiac Center Christian Pizarro, MD - Chief, Pediatric Heart Surgery - Nemours Cardiac Center in Delaware](/services/delaware-valley-pediatric-cardiac-center/cardiac-research/_jcr_content/root/container/container/two_panel_block_left/col1/image.coreimg.jpeg/1686926812630/round-doctor-pizarro.jpeg)
Christian Pizarro, MD
Executive Director
Nemours Cardiac Center for Cardiovascular Research and Innovations Program
![Srivastava, Shubhika MD, Chief of Pediatric Cardiology, Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼ Hospital, Delaware Srivastava, Shubhika MD, Chief of Pediatric Cardiology, Õý°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼ Hospital, Delaware](/services/delaware-valley-pediatric-cardiac-center/cardiac-research/_jcr_content/root/container/container/two_panel_block_left_2030237730/col1/image.coreimg.jpeg/1686926812630/round-doctor-srivastava.jpeg)
Shubhika Srivastava, MD
Executive Director
Nemours Cardiac Center for Cardiovascular Research and Innovations Program
![Portrait of Carissa M. Baker-Smith, MD MPH MS Portrait of Carissa M. Baker-Smith, MD MPH MS](/services/delaware-valley-pediatric-cardiac-center/cardiac-research/_jcr_content/root/container/container/two_panel_block_left_1160413005/col1/image.coreimg.jpeg/1686926812630/circle-baker-smith-carissa.jpeg)
Carissa M. Baker-Smith, MD MPH MS
Co-Director
Nemours Cardiac Center for Cardiovascular Research and Innovations Program
![Portrait of Erica Sood, PhD Portrait of Erica Sood, PhD](/services/delaware-valley-pediatric-cardiac-center/cardiac-research/_jcr_content/root/container/container/two_panel_block_left_198970835/col1/image.coreimg.jpeg/1686926812630/circle-sood-erica.jpeg)
Erica Sood, PhD
Co-Director
Nemours Cardiac Center for Cardiovascular Research and Innovations Program
Cardiac Researchers
Shannon Nees, MD
Wolfgang A. K. Radtke, MD
Abbas Zaidi, MD