Our Team
Jennifer Lawton, M.D.
Richard B. Darnall Professor of Surgery
Cardiac Surgeon-in-Charge
Chief of the Division of Cardiac Surgery
Director of the Cardiac Surgery Research Laboratory
Lawton Laboratory
The Lawton laboratory investigates mechanisms underlying the myocardial protection provided by the adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channel by utilizing novel cellular models, genetically altered mice, an isolated mouse heart model and a large animal model. The laboratory seeks to clarify these mechanisms in an effort to reduce morbidity and mortality secondary to cardiovascular disease. In addition to the goal of translating the findings of cardioprotection as a component of cardioplegia, the lab also seeks to identify strategies and pharmacologic methods of neuroprotection in cardiac surgery.
Learn More About Dr. Lawton’s Lab
Hamza Aziz, M.D.
Associate Program Director, Cardiothoracic Fellowship
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Dr. Aziz’s research efforts focus on understanding the development of ascending aortic aneurysm. Previously, Dr. Aziz had found that a gene responsible for cell guidance and migration, ROBO4, was mutated in 1-2% of patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and ascending aortic aneurysm (AsAA). Animal models with mutated ROBO4 showed mild phenotype of BAV/AsAA. To expand on this research, Dr. Aziz works with a collaborator at the Johns Hopkins Institute of Genetic Medicine to develop a technique for single cell RNA sequencing to determine why the majority of thoracic aortic aneurysms have spatial localization to either root or ascending. Aziz collaborates with researchers Dr. Elena MacFarlane and Dr. Harry Dietz III.
James Gammie, M.D.
The James T. Dresher, Sr. Professor of Cardiac Surgery
Surgical Lead and Co-Director, Johns Hopkins Heart and Vascular Institute
Cardiac Surgeon-in-Chief, Johns Hopkins Health System
Gammie Lab
Dr. James Gammie’s research focuses on improving the surgical treatment of tricuspid and mitral valve disease and other heart structure diseases through minimally invasive interventions, cardiovascular device development and improving patient outcomes after cardiac surgery.
Danielle Gottlieb Sen, M.D., M.P.H., M.S.
Director, Pediatric Cardiac Research
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Gottlieb Sen Lab
Dr. Gottlieb Sen’s research focuses on cardiac and somatic growth in patients with congenital heart disease, developing new materials for cardiac surgery and wearable technologies for monitoring patients with congenital heart disease, and genetic etiologies of congenital heart disease.
Learn More About Gottlieb Sen’s Lab
Ahmet Kilic, M.D.
Director, Heart Transplantation
Associate Professor of Surgery
Kilic Lab
Dr. Ahmet Kilic joined the Johns Hopkins Division of Cardiac Surgery as an associate professor in 2017. Kilic’s areas of clinical research include advancing heart failure surgical treatment with a special interest in heart transplantation and mechanical circulatory support. Kilic’s research is focused on improving surgical treatment for heart failure and patient outcomes.
Chetan Pasrija, M.D., M.S.
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Pasrija Lab
Dr. Pasrija specializes in heart and lung transplantation, aortic surgery and the surgical treatment of ischemic heart disease. He has published extensively on the topics of heart and lung transplant, massive pulmonary embolism, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, and minimally invasive left ventricular assist device implantation. As a trainee, Dr. Pasrija was heavily involved with the surgical implantation and postoperative management of the first cardiac xenotransplant performed in the world at the University of Maryland. During his time as a faculty member at Vanderbilt University, he was a part of one of the largest heart and lung transplant programs in the United States. His research focuses on cutting-edge technologies to expand the donor pool, including normothermic regional perfusion. Dr. Pasrija was co-surgeon in a combined heart-lung transplant with a groundbreaking 9.5-hour period of time without any blood flow using a novel 10 degrees Celsius cooler.
Rachael Quinn, Ph.D., M.S.
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Quinn Lab
Dr. Quinn’s research focuses on the surgical treatment of structural heart disease, with a primary focus on mitral and tricuspid valve disease. In collaboration with Dr. James Gammie, Dr. Quinn’s primary objective is to develop animal models of structural heart disease, including a swine model of functional mitral regurgitation, and to develop cardiovascular medical devices, specifically transcatheter annular repair. Dr. Quinn’s lab uses a 3D structured light scanner and to evaluate native, diseased and repaired valves using computer-aided drafting software in order to predict the likelihood of repair success. Dr. Quinn also collaborates on clinical research projects related to improving patient outcomes after cardiac surgery.
Marc Steven Sussman, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Cardiovascular Surgical ICU
Sussman Lab
Dr. Sussman is currently investigating opiate addiction following cardiac surgery. Using retrospective data, Dr. Sussman discovered that, for many cardiac surgeries, long-term opiate use was associated with increased opiate use early after the procedure. It was also found that the incidence of long-term opiate use was the highest in the southern United States. He is now conducting a prospective study to evaluate how well pain is controlled and the incidence of long-term opiate use in patients who are given less opiate medicine early after their cardiac procedure.
Hanghang Wang, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Surgery
Wang Lab
With a focus on precision medicine, Dr. Wang is dedicated to creating personalized diagnostic and treatment modalities for cardiovascular diseases, integrating cutting-edge research into clinical practice.
Learn More About Dr. Wang’s Lab
Glenn Whitman, M.D.
Director of Cardiovascular Surgical Intensive Care Unit
Professor of Surgery
Whitman Lab
Dr. Whitman’s research focuses on quality outcomes and improving management for patients during and after their procedure, particularly in the setting of an ICU. He is currently working on identifying and eliminating intraoperative causes of acute kidney injury during cardiac surgery through the use of urinary biomarkers. Dr. Whitman is investigating the relationship between delivered O2, lactate and acute kidney injury during cardiac surgery.
Jessica B. Briscoe, M.D., 2023-2025
American Heart Association 2024 Postdoctoral Fellow
Irene Piccinini Investigator of Cardiac Surgery
General Surgery Resident
MedStar Georgetown University-Washington Hospital Center
Dr. Briscoe is a postdoctoral research fellow and Irene Piccinini Investigator in Cardiac Surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She received bachelor’s degrees in neurobiology and psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio, a master’s degree in biomedical science and a medical doctorate from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. She is completing her general surgery residency at MedStar Health Georgetown University Hospital and Washington Hospital Center.
See a list of her publications.
AlleaBelle Bradshaw, M.D., 2024-2026
Cardiac Surgery Research Fellow
General Surgery Resident
MedStar Georgetown University-Washington Hospital Center
Dr. Bradshaw is a postdoctoral research fellow in cardiac surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and psychology from Ouachita Baptist University and obtained a medical doctorate from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She completed three years of general surgery residency at MedStar Health Georgetown University Hospital and Washington Hospital Center prior to starting a two-year fellowship in the lab. Her primary research focus is on optimizing strategies for myocardial protection and gaining an improved understanding of myocardial injury after cardiac surgery. She is pursuing a career as a cardiac surgeon-scientist.
See a list of her publications.
Ifeanyi Chinedozi, M.D., M.B.A., 2022-2024
Joyce Koons Postdoctoral Research Fellow
General Surgery Resident
University of Maryland
Dr. Chinedozi is the Joyce Koons Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Cardiac Surgery at Johns Hopkins University. He graduated from the Honors College of East Tennessee State University, earning his B.S. in nursing. Subsequently, he received his M.D. from Tufts University School of Medicine as the Bruce Reynolds and Carolyn Zimring Scholar in 2020. He joined the University of Maryland as a general surgery resident thereafter.
As a rising surgeon-scientist and leader in organizational management, Chinedozi focuses his attention on novel pharmacologic and technical approaches to mitigating neurological injuries following hypothermic circulatory arrest in cardiac surgery; clinical outcomes of multi-arterial surgical revascularization; and evaluating the complex intersection of sustainable global health implementation strategies with patient outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. As the founding chair of AthleticsMD Prehabilitation, Dr. Chinedozi seeks to advance the understanding and adoption of surgical prehabilitation, envisioning a health-care paradigm where preoperative optimization becomes the standard, not an exception. He is blessed with a beautiful wife and three wonderful children.
See a list of his publications.
Zachary Darby, M.D., 2022-2024
The Martin and Vera Kohn Fellow in Cardiac Surgery
General Surgery Resident
MedStar Health-Baltimore
Zachary Darby is currently a postdoctoral research fellow for the Division of Cardiac Surgery at Johns Hopkins. He graduated from Seton Hall University with a B.S. in physics before attending Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. He has experience with 3-D printing and computer numerical control (CNC) manufacturing. He is most interested in researching and exploring the areas of medicine that intersect with engineering. His research areas at Hopkins focus on the development of a computer simulation of a human heart and the development of new cardiac surgery procedures/techniques.
Jin Kook Kang, M.D., 2022-2024
The Hugh R. Sharp, Jr. Endowed Research Fellow
General Surgery Resident
MedStar Georgetown University-Washington Hospital Center
Dr. Kang is a postdoctoral research fellow in Cardiac Surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He is currently a general surgery resident at MedStar Health–Georgetown/Washington Hospital Center. His research areas at Hopkins focus on cardiovascular critical care and mechanical circulatory support.
Jie Wang, M.D.
Research associate
Senior research scientist, Lawton Lab
Dr. Jie Wang has comprehensive expertise that supports the advancement of our lab’s research initiatives. Dr. Wang is an expert in immunology, cell culture, molecular biology techniques, protein biochemistry and small-animal model studies.
Janelle Sangalang, B.S.
Senior lab technician
Nivedita Kumar, B.S.
Lab technician
Collaborators
| Researcher Name | Division |
|---|---|
| Brian O'Rourke, Ph.D. | Cardiology |
| Lee Goedell, M.D., M.P.H. | Anesthesiology |
| Mary Beth Brady, M.D. | Anesthesiology |
| Jeffrey Michael Dodd-o, M.D., Ph.D. | Anesthesiology |
| Brian Cho, M.D. | Anesthesiology |
| Elena Gallo MacFarlane, Ph.D. | Genetic Medicine |
| Harry C. Dietz III, M.D. | Genetic Medicine |
| Mary Ann Wilson, Ph.D. | Neurology and Neuroscience |
| Lee J. Martin, Ph.D. | Pathology and Neuroscience |
| Joseph Scafidi, M.S., D.O. | Neurology |
| Sung-Min Cho, D.O., M.H.S. | Neurology |
| Mary E. Blue, Ph.D. | Neurology and Neuroscience |
| Kannan Rangaramanujam, M.S., Ph.D. | Ophthalmology and Nanomedicine |
| Allen Eghrari, M.D., M.P.H. | Ophthalmology |
| Lauren Leigh Jantzie, Ph.D. | Neurosurgery |
| Dody Robinson, M.D. | Neurosurgery |
Past Residents
View some of our past surgery residents involved in the Johns Hopkins Cardiac Surgery Research Lab.
| Name | Year Started |
|---|---|
| Kate Verdi, M.D. | 2021 |
| Eric Etchill, M.D. | 2021 |
| Hannah Rando, M.D. | 2021 |
| Cecilia Lui, M.D. | 2017 |
| Xun Zhou, M.D. | 2017 |
| Charles Fraser, M.D. | 2017 |
| Todd Crawford, M.D. | 2015 |
| J. Trent Magruder, M.D. | 2014 |
| Joshua C. Grimm, M.D. | 2013 |
| Claude Beaty, M.D. | 2011 |
| Tim George, M.D. | 2010 |
| George Arnaoutakis, M.D. | 2009 |
| Geoff Allen, M.D. | 2008 |
| Eric Weiss, M.D. | 2007 |
| Lois Nwakanma, M.D. | 2006 |
| Jason Williams, M.D. | 2005 |
| Chris Barreiro, M.D. | 2004 |
| Torin Fitton, M.D. | 2002 |
| Stephen Cattaneo, M.D. | 2001 |
| David Caparrelli, M.D. | 2001 |
| Eric Peck, M.D. | 2000 |
| Jay Shake, M.D. | 2000 |
| Peter Walinsky, M.D. | 1999 |
| Jorge Salazar, M.D. | 1997 |
| John Doty, M.D. | 1997 |
| Elaine Tseng, M.D. | 1994 |
| Kirk J. Fleischer, M.D. | 1992 |
| Malcolm V. Brock, M.D. | 1992 |
| A. Marc Gillinov, M.D. | 1991 |
| William Curtis, M.D. | 1991 |
| Peter W. Cho, M.D. | 1991 |
| Mark J. Redmond, M.D. | 1991 |
| Michael A. Acker, M.D. | 1990 |
| Patrick Devaleria, M.D. | 1989 |
| R.C. Stewart Finney, M.D. | 1989 |
| Peter S. Greene, M.D. | 1988 |
| Peter J. Horneffer, M.D. | 1988 |
| Charles D. Fraser, M.D. | 1987 |
| Wen Cheng, M.D. | 1987 |
| Bruce R. Rosengard, M.D. | 1986 |
| Timothy S. Hall, M.D. | 1986 |
| Duke E. Cameron, M.D. | 1985 |
| Sara J. Shumway, M.D. | 1984 |
| Stuart R. Scott, M.D. | 1984 |
| Steven F. Bolling, M.D. | 1983 |
| Alfred S. Casale, M.D. | 1983 |
| George J. Magovern Jr., M.D. | 1982 |