Personal Statement

I have a broad background in cardiovascular prevention, with specific training and expertise in key research areas. As a professor of medicine at Cedars-Sinai and UCLA, I have carried out preventive, advanced imaging and surrogate outcome clinical trial protocols. As Principal Investigator (PI) of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation — WISE — I have a translational approach to the use of advanced cardiovascular imaging for the study of cardiovascular disease. My other PI experience includes several National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health-sponsored surrogate outcome clinical trials testing preventive cardiology interventions on outcomes ranging from advanced imaging to the cardiovascular pathophysiology and the cardiac autonomic nervous system. The Bairey Merz Lab has established a strong network of leading edge imaging collaborators that facilitate the successful conduct of our research and training missions. Validating measures, establishing core lab protocols and recruiting for procedures have been areas of success in the Lab. I have active collaboration with the many researchers involved, and have produced multiple peer-reviewed publications from each project. My expertise and experience, along with my demonstrated record of productive research projects in areas of high relevance, have prepared me to be an excellent mentor for trainees.