My research activities involve two general areas. First, I am interested in clinical outcomes studies in my specialty of congenital heart surgery. Our childrenŐs hospital is a major referral center for complex congenital heart disease, and outcomes studies are important for evaluating our therapies and establishing benchmarks for the discipline.

My second research interest is in the molecular biology of cardiac muscle function and heart failure. My laboratory investigates the role of sarcomeric genes in the normal and failing heart. We are currently studying the functional significance of myosin motor protein gene mutations on myocyte contractility. Additionally, we are using gene delivery techniques to modify myosin isoform expression in the failing heart in order to augment contractility. These studies will allow us to better understand the biology of heart failure in order to develop novel therapeutic strategies.

Selected Publications:

1. Davis J, Westfall MV, Townsend D, Blankinship M, Herron TJ, Guerrero-Serna G, Wang W, Devaney E, Metzger JM. Designing heart performance by gene transfer. Physiol Rev. 2008;88(4):1567-1651.
2. Herron TJ, Devaney EJ, Metzger JM. Modulation of cardiac performance by motor protein gene transfer. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008;1123:96-104.
3. Hirsch JC, Goldberg C, Bove EL, Salehian S, Lee T, Ohye RG, Devaney EJ. Fontan operation in the current era: a 15-year single institution experience. Ann Surg. 2008;248(3):402-410.
4. Suzuki T, Bove EL, Devaney EJ, Ishizaka T, Goldberg CS, Hirsch JC, Ohye RG. Results of definitive repair of complete atrioventricular septal defect in neonates and infants. Ann Thorac Surg. 2008;86(2):596-602.
5. Konuma T, Ohye RG, Bove EL, Tavakkol Z, Gelehrter S, Hirsch JC, Devaney EJ. Performance of SynerGraft decellularized pulmonary allografts compared to standard cryopreserved allografts. Ann Thorac Surg (in press).
6. Devaney EJ, Lee T, Gelehrter S, Hirsch JC, Ohye RG, Anderson RH, Bove EL. Biventricular repair of atrioventricular septal defect with common atrioventricular valve and double outlet right ventricle. Ann Thorac Surg (in press).