Translating Medical Advances into Patient Care

Stanford Hospital's physicians are faculty members at the Stanford School of Medicine, where they are at the forefront of the research that leads to ground-breaking treatments for patients. Stanford clinicians are scientists who regularly contribute to major advancements in their fields. The following research papers have been published by members of Stanford's Heart Transplant Team.

Clinical research studies

Clinical research studies are designed to answer specific questions, sometimes about a new drug or medical device's safety and effectiveness. Research studies may be observational studies or clinical trials. Observational studies are those in which information is collected from patients in order to better understand specific conditions (for example, what factors are associated with long-term survival after a heart transplant?) or to develop new tests that can detect rejection or other heart transplant complications in their early stages. Clinical trials are research studies in which patients are assigned, by chance, to a new medication or to placebo (typically a pill or liquid that looks like the study medication but does not have any medicines in it). Clinical trials are done to determine if new treatments are safe and effective in preventing or treating heart transplant complications.

Clinical research studies are done in close collaboration with scientists and physicians from many areas of expertise across Stanford University. To ensure the highest ethical standards are maintained, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for oversight of all studies.

Please feel free to discuss these studies with any member of the Heart Transplant team or contact the Heart Transplant Research Nurse Coordinator, Helen Luikart, RN, MS, at 650-724-2883.