What is your professional background?
I was an applied biology major at the Georgia Institute of Technology and graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in 2002. After completing an internal medicine residency at Emory, I pursued a cardiology fellowship that included two years of basic vascular biology training. Subsequently, I did an additional year of research fellowship in women’s heart health at the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. I stayed on as faculty there for 5 years focusing on cardiovascular prevention and women’s heart disease. I then re-joined Emory in 2015 as the Director of Women’s Translational Cardiovascular Research at the Emory Women’s Heart Center.
In what division do you work, and who is your mentor?
I am an ssistanta professor in the Division of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine. I have been fortunate to have many outstanding mentors at Emory. My original clinical research mentor at Cedars-Sinai was C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD.
Briefly describe your research. Why is it important?
My research focuses on pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the syndrome of ischemia with no obstructive coronary arteries. This group of patients, who are more likely to be women, are at risk for cardiovascular events due to coronary microvascular dysfunction. However, diagnostic and treatment algorithms are poorly defined to manage this condition. Over the past 8 years, I have focused on mechanistic research and clinical trials in this population. My K23 grant focused on cardiac autonomic dysfunction and the role of mental stress in vascular reactivity in women. I am interested in novel pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic methods to manage persistent angina in this challenging syndrome.
What do you like most about Emory?
I like the collaborative research environment and the diverse patient population. Being at an academic center like Emory is exciting because of the opportunities to learn and teach.
What is your favorite movie or TV show?
I like watching period dramas and British murder mysteries; the Big Bang Theory is also fun.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy nature walks, traveling, music, and spending time with my family and friends!
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