Stanford Medicine is nationally recognized as a leader in cardiovascular health. Our physician-scientists have consistently been at the forefront of researching groundbreaking treatments to improve cardiovascular care. Our team has discovered and implemented many revolutionary therapies to prevent, manage, and treat heart and vascular disorders.

The following represent a few of the hundreds of active research projects led by physician-scientists from Stanford Medicine. We aim to find innovative solutions that set the standard of heart and vascular care for people around the world.

Using digital heart models to improve pacemaker therapy for children with complex heart conditions

Having only one working heart ventricle is one of the most severe types of congenital heart disease. Children with a single ventricle defect often have abnormal heart rhythms, reduced pumping capacity, and long-term complications. Though cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) sometimes helps regulate the heartbeat, results can be unpredictable.

Alison Marsden, PhD, Douglass M. and Nola Leishman Professor of Cardiovascular Diseases, professor of pediatrics (cardiology) and of bioengineering, is developing computer-generated versions of children’s hearts that let doctors try CRT virtually. These digital heart models, called digital twins, will help physicians:

• Identify patients most likely to benefit from CRT
• Choose the best location for pacing leads
• Reduce unnecessary procedures and improve outcomes
• Tailor a pacemaker plan to each child's unique heart

In the future, these digital twin heart models may become a normal part of treatment planning to help adults and children with many kinds of congenital heart disease.

Understanding how physical activity impacts atrial fibrillation (AF) in older women

AF impacts nearly 20 million women in the U.S. Though women with AF have a higher risk of complications, disability, and health care usage compared to men, they have been underrepresented in clinical trials. As a result, physicians lack clear guidance on cardiovascular prevention, prognosis, and physical activity in older women with or at risk of AF.

Sofia Gomez, MD, cardiovascular medicine fellow at Stanford Medicine, is leading a project that uses the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) dataset to better understand how cardiovascular health and physical activity impact AF outcomes in older women. The goals of the project include:

• Creating clearer guidance for physicians on how cardiovascular health scores predict risk in older women with AF
• Providing evidence-based recommendations for physical activity in women with AF
• Improving early detection strategies for AF
• Offering long-term improvements in cardiovascular outcomes and quality of life for women at risk of or living with AF

The project’s ultimate objective is to help women with AF lead healthier, more active, and longer lives.

Transforming surgical videos into simulators for robotic cardiac surgery

Robotic-assisted cardiac surgery (RACS) hasn’t yet been widely adopted due to the high technical skill involved and the steep learning curve. For instance, robotic mitral valve repair can take 125 to 250 cases to master, but most surgeons perform only six mitral valve repairs a year. Moreover, existing training tools cannot accurately replicate the heart's complex anatomy or the mechanical feel of real cardiac tissue.

William Hiesinger, MD, associate professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford Medicine, is leading a project to introduce a novel approach to robotic cardiac surgery training. The approach aims to convert real surgical videos into realistic, interactive 3D models of the heart and surrounding tissues. These accurate representations use physics-based simulations to show how tissues move when pulled, pushed, or sutured. A combination of machine learning and computational physics will deliver the first simulator built from real surgical footage.

The long-term vision is to create a scalable training environment that can:

• Reduce the learning curve for complex cardiac procedures, such as robotic mitral valve repair
• Improve surgical proficiency and safety
• Expand patient access to minimally invasive robotic surgery

Exploring the role of a protein in helping the brain heal after a stroke

Strokes affect millions of people around the world each year, but there are no medications that can help people recover after a stroke. Because of the time constraints of current stroke therapies, a majority of patients are not eligible to receive acute interventions.

Paul George, MD, PhD, associate professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford Medicine, is leading a project focused on finding a new pathway to facilitate stroke recovery. A naturally occurring protein called stanniocalcin-2 (STC2) appears to play an important role in brain healing after a stroke. Yet it is too large and complex to be delivered as a medication.

The project aims to identify small drug-like compounds that may activate STC2-related healing pathways. The long-term goal is to develop stroke recovery therapies that will fill a therapeutic gap and transform care for stroke patients worldwide.

Improving stroke prevention and recovery with AI-enhanced MRI brain imaging

Cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) can help identify who is at high risk of stroke. Mapping CVR shows how effectively the brain’s blood vessels increase blood flow when needed. However, current tests often use medications or radiation that can cause side effects and make testing unsafe for some patients, such as children.

Moss Zhao, DPhil, instructor of neurosurgery at Stanford Medicine, is leading research to develop a novel technology to evaluate brain health and stroke risk. This approach integrates advanced medical imaging and artificial intelligence, eliminating the need for medications or radiation while maintaining clinical accuracy for both adult and pediatric patients.

Dr. Zhao’s research also examines how these imaging methods can predict clinical outcomes, including stroke risk, recovery trajectory, and long-term quality of life. Findings from these studies will improve treatment selection and enable more precise health care.

Increasing access to cardiovascular disease and stroke care

These projects highlight the sustained commitment of Stanford Medicine to drive innovation and expand access to transformative medical services and treatments for all patients.

Learn more about the full range of cardiovascular care offered by Stanford Health Care.